The first steps towards a better Olympic showing by New Zealand yachtsmen and women begin today with Olympicsail.
Having a trip to August's pre-Olympic regatta in Athens at stake promises some keenly fought racing.
Most classes will race over 11 races until Sunday with the best nine to countin the Torbay Boating Club-hosted regatta at Waiake Beach, on Auckland's North Shore.
Current world 470 champions Simon Cooke and Peter Nicholas will be keen to continue their good form as they chase a place at next year's Olympics and, with it, the chance to improve on their seventh placing at Sydney in 2000.
Born-again boardsailor Barbara Kendall, who already boasts a complete set of Olympic medals, has secured funding to ensure a full-on fourth Olympic campaign.
Kendall, who surprised many with her world championship triumph late last year, will be opposed by about half a dozen competitors in the Mistral class.
The women's Europe Dinghy has attracted perhaps the strongest field headed by 2000 Olympian Sarah Macky, who won one race in Sydney (where she finished ninth) but struggled to back that performance with the necessary top-five finishes to challenge for a medal.
She lines up today against Miranda Powrie, Jo Aleh, Sharon Ferris, Sara Winther, Kate O'Brien and others in what promises to be a close contest.
The men's single-handed Laser has also attracted a strong field headed by Michael Bullot, Thomas Powrie, Andrew Murdoch, Simon Baker and Rohan Lord.
Jon-Paul Tobin is the standout in the men's Mistral, but he can expect a flood of late international rivals to be on the water after this morning's sign-on.
Aaron McIntosh, third in boardsailing in Sydney, has switched to the Tornado and although his entry had not been received yesterday, he is expected to line up against national champions John Clinton and Andy Robertson.
Dan Slater and Nathan Handley, eighth in 2000, head a small field in the 49ers.
The winners will gain automatic entry to the pre-Olympic regatta. The second-placed crews might also be entered at the discretion of the selectors.
Winning crews will also be entered for the ISAF world championships in Cadiz in September.
