Yachting: Qualifiers wait on Games nod

By JULIE ASH

Sarah Macky was pipped at the post by her little sister Jane in her final race in Yachting New Zealand's Olympic nomination trials yesterday, but it didn't bother her a bit.

The second place was enough to win her the Europe class in the final day of the trials being sailed off Torbay.

Others successful yesterday were Hamish Pepper who clinched the much sort-after Laser spot, Andrew Brown and Jamie Hunt who won the men's 470 class, Jan Shearer and Melinda Henshaw who won the women's 470 class and Thomas Ashley who clinched the men's mistral spot.

The winners' names are now forwarded to Yachting New Zealand's selectors who may automatically forward them on to the New Zealand Olympic committee.

However if the selectors have any concerns they can ask the sailors to prove they are capable of a top 10 finish at the Olympics by competing in a series of international regattas in the coming months.

Macky, who finished 9th in the class in the 2000 Olympics, sailed through the trials relatively unchallenged up until the last two days where she struggled in some fickle, light winds.

However a second yesterday was enough to secure her the win without sailing the final race.

"I was hoping to win the last race but when I looked under my boom and saw her sneaking through and thought 'oh, that's okay, good for her'," Macky said.

Thirty two year-old Pepper had an outstanding regatta in what was an extremely competitive class.

The former Team New Zealand tactician was consistent in a variety of conditions. His worst result in 10 races was fourth.

Pepper finished second behind Jake Bartrom yesterday in race 10, which came close to being abandoned due to such light conditions.

His main rival, Andrew Murdoch, who placed 7th in last year's world championships, finished well back in seventh which meant Pepper won the class without sailing the last race.

Going into yesterday's 470 race Andrew Brown and Jamie Hunt had a one point lead over Simon Cooke and Alastair Gair while Stephen and Philip Keen were a further point back. In the women's class Shelley Hesson and Linda Dickson and Jan Shearer and Melinda Henshaw went into the last race all square on points.

The race was initially postponed then abandoned on its second attempt before finally getting underway just after 6pm.

Brown and Hunt sailed to a comfortable win in the men's class while Shearer and Henshaw took out the women's spot.

The final race in the men's mistral class also determined the winner with Thomas Ashley and James Wells each going into the race with 19 points. Jon-Paul Tobin won but second was enough for Ashley.

Olympic chase

New Zealand have qualified in seven of a possible 11 Olympic classes - men's 470, women's 470, Europe, Laser, Finn, men's mistral and women's mistral classes. Qualifiers are still being sought in the Star, Tornado, Yngling and 49er classes.

Only boardsailor Barbara Kendall secured an individual nomination, after she finished within the top five in last year's world championships. Yachting New Zealand's Olympic trials will help determine New Zealand's representatives in five of the other classes. The Finn representative will be decided after a series of overseas regattas.

Hamish Pepper (Laser), Sarah Macky (Europe), Thomas Ashley (men's Mistral), Jamie Hunt and Andrew Brown (men's 470) and Jan Shearer and Melinda Henshaw (women's 470) have emerged as the winners of the trials.

Their names are now forwarded to Yachting New Zealand's selectors who may automatically forward them on to the New Zealand Olympic committee.

However, if the selectors have any concerns they can ask the sailors to prove they are capable of a top-10 finish at the Olympics by competing in a series of international regattas in the coming months.