Yachting: Sailor pumped up by Games nomination

By JULIE ASH

Andrew Brown was at a service station pumping up his car's tyres when he got a call from Yachting New Zealand's chief executive, Simon Wickham.

Following his success at Yachting New Zealand's Olympic trials, an ecstatic Brown was told that he and his 470 team-mate, Jamie Hunt, were one small step away from securing a spot at the Athens Olympics.

Hunt and Brown, along with Hamish Pepper (Laser), Sarah Macky (Europe) and Thomas Ashley (Mistral), have all met Yachting New Zealand's nomination criteria and their names have been forwarded to the New Zealand Olympic Committee, which has the final say in selecting the team.

They join boardsailor Barbara Kendall, who has been nominated following her top-five finish at last year's world championships.

"It is an awesome feeling to know that we are representing our country," Brown said.

"It is really a great weight off our shoulders and is nice they have made the decision early as it gives us more time to develop our gear for the Athens conditions."

The women's 470 crew of Jan Shearer and Melinda Henshaw, who edged out Shelly Hesson and Linda Dickson at the trials, have been asked to compete in the 470 world championships in Croatia in May before a decision is made.

Henshaw, who finished 11th in the class with Jenny Egnot in the 2000 Olympics, and Shearer, who won a silver medal with Leslie Egnot at the 1996 Games, have to prove to the selectors, Glen Sowry, Grant Beck and Terry Nicholas, that they have the ability to achieve a top-10 finish in Athens.

The pair, who teamed up only last month, will head to Europe at the end of March for a series of regattas before the world championships.

"We know we have got a lot of hard work to do, but we know we are going to get there so we just have to get out and do it," Henshaw said.

Yachting New Zealand's high-performance manager, Peter Lester, said those nominated were an "exciting" group.

"You have got people there like Hamish [Pepper], who is a professional yachtie.

"Then you have got the young guys such as Thomas Ashley who are still improving. What potential has he got? Who knows? He probably doesn't even know himself how good he is.

"I think that blend of youth and experience, with Barbara Kendall and Hamish and then at the other end Thomas and Jamie Hunt and Andrew Brown ... there is a lot of knowledge there that can flow down to the young guys."

Lester said the key for the sailors was to continue to improve their performances in light conditions, which were expected to dominate in Athens, and in large fleets which were impossible to replicate in New Zealand.


"Because of our climate we have a lot of moderate to fresh wind and it has always been a New Zealand trait that we are good in moderate wind.

"The way to get good in light wind is to immerse yourself in it."

New Zealand have yet to qualify in the Star, Tornado, Yngling and 49er classes.

The representative in the Finn class will be decided after a series of international regattas.