Three New Zealand crews remain in the mix for medals at the world championships at Cadiz in Spain.
The best-placed New Zealander is reigning women's Mistral champion Barbara Kendall, who is second with one race remaining.
Kendall secured 10th and first placings today in a 12 to 15- knot breeze.
She has a
comfortable 14-point lead over third-placed Lai Mingshuang, of China, and is looking set to clinch early nomination for the 2004 Olympic Games.
New Zealand is one of the few countries to have previously qualified in the women's Mistral class for the Games, but with the world championship serving as an Olympic qualifier, Kendall needs to remain in the top five to be eligible for individual Olympic nomination. Otherwise, a trial will be held in New Zealand early next year.
In the men's Mistral, Jon-Paul Tobin is in fifth place overall entering the final race after placings of seventh and fourth today.
Premek Migczynski, of Poland, has already secured the gold medal because he has an unassailable lead on the rest of the fleet.
Aucklanders James Wells and Tom Ashley are 26th and 32nd respectively.
Laser sailor Andrew Murdoch continued to demonstrate his prowess by adding two more victories to his scorecard. He is now fourth overall. New Zealand positions. - -
Laser (after six races, 171 entries): Andrew Murdoch 4, Rod Dawson 31, David Weaver 41, Michael Bullot 61. Hamish Pepper has withdrawn due to injury.
Mistral men (10 races, 116 entries): Jon-Paul Tobin 5, James Wells 26, Tom Ashley 32. Silver fleet: Matthew McCormick 61.
Mistral women (after 10 races, 65 entries): Barbara Kendall 2, Julie Worth 29, Sheena McKinnon 38, Anita Purdie 51.
Star (nine races, 82 entries): Rohan Lord/Andrew Taylor 45.
Finn (six races, 82 entries): Clifton Webb 28, Peter Fox 35.
470 men (four races, 98 entries, split fleets): Simon Cooke/Peter Nicholas 16, Andrew Brown/Jamie Hunt 27, Stephen Keen/Philip Keen 53, Derek Scott/David Healy 67, Geoff Woolley/Mark Overington 78.
470 Women (six races, 55 entries): Shelley Hesson/Linda Dickson 7.
Tornado (four races, 70 entries): Aaron McIntosh/Mark Kennedy 28.
49er (eight races, 80 entries): Mike Bassett/Ed Smyth 41, Chris Burgess/Chris Skinner 66.
- NZPA
