Four days until racing in Weymouth

Jon-Paul Tobin and Natalia Kosinska will be the first of the NZL Sailing Team to start racing at the Weymouth and Portland 2011 International Regatta when competition gets underway for the RS:X windsurfers this Thursday, 4th August, in the UK.

Tobin and Kosinska are two of the 13-strong sailing team at the Olympic venue for this significant regatta which puts everyone’s planning and preparation to the test just twelve months out from the 2012 Olympic Games.

The Laser, Radial and both 470 fleets start their regatta on Friday 5th, while the 49er, Finn and Star fleets kick off Saturday 6th. Medal races are staggered over three days from Thursday 11th August.

“This preparation phase in Weymouth has been about coming together as a team, settling in and ensuring that we have everything in place to hit the water well prepared,” explains Jez Fanstone, Team Director and Yachting New Zealand Olympic Programme Manager.

“Now we’re ready to get sailing,” he says, “our sailors are keen to get down to business , to see where they measure up against their rivals and to learn more about what this race track can throw at us.”

The NZL Sailing Team in Weymouth includes:

Laser: Andrew Murdoch
Laser Radial: Sara Winther
Women’s 470: Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie
Men’s 470: Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders
Star: Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk
Finn: Dan Slater
49er: Peter Burling and Blair Tuke
Men’s RS:X: Jon-Paul Tobin
Women’s RS:X: Natalia Kosinska

Just one entry from New Zealand in each of the classes is possible with this team earning their selection through performance at key international regattas over recent months. Just who will sail for New Zealand twelve months from now at the 2012 Olympic Games is yet to be determined.

A summary of the racing schedule and sailor profiles of the NZL Sailing Team in Weymouth are available on request. Please email jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz

Daily reports focussing on the New Zealand team performance will be issued and published on www.yachtingnz.org.nz once racing commences, while results, images and more will be available from the official regatta website.