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• Barbara KENDALL - Neil Pryde RS:X
• Andrew MURDOCH - Laser
• Jo ALEH - Laser Radial
• Dan SLATER - Finn
• Sharon FERRIS, Raynor SMEAL and Ashley HOLTUM - Yngling
• Aaron MCINTOSH and Bruce KENDALL - Tornado

The announcement of a small Olympic Squad is a new move from Yachting New Zealand, who to date has supported a larger group of sailors in their sailing Academy. Yachting New Zealand policy for selection into the squad is primarily based on competition performance and was published on Monday.

While the Academy continues it is the sailors that have achieved significant recent results and demonstrate medal potential that have been identified for selection into the Olympic squad and will be coached and supported by Yachting New Zealand's Olympic Director Rod DAVIS. The Squad members named today have been selected based on recent performance or medal winning potential, and they must continue current form to stay.

Reforms at Yachting New Zealand have followed a disappointing performance in Athens last year. DAVIS was appointed as Olympic Director in May this year and has created a new Olympic sailing plan with the single minded aim of winning medals. Olympic medal prospects are now identified early, then paired up with coaches and detailed programmes that will get the very best out of them.

Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) funding for the Yachting New Zealand Olympic campaign was confirmed in early October based on the Olympic plan put together by Yachting New Zealand. The significant backing demonstrates that SPARC has the belief in the renewed vision at Yachting New Zealand to restore the sport to its former Olympic greatness. Yachting remains this country's most successful Olympic sport with a history of 15 medals since 1956, and the challenge is to retain that status.

'Yachting New Zealand has taken a strategic and focused approach to our quest for Olympic medals in China,' says DAVIS. 'The Olympic Squad will comprise sailors who have performed at the top at World or European championships in Olympic classes, and must similarly perform each year to stay on the Olympic Squad.'

Andrew MURDOCH, Sharon FERRIS and her crew, Dan SLATER and Aaron MCINTOSH have all recorded World Championship results that have caught the attention of DAVIS. Two medals in 2005 went to MURDOCH, winning bronze in the Laser Worlds, and to FERRIS and the Yngling team, winning silver at the Worlds. Both SLATER and MCINTOSH placed sixth in their respective Worlds, SLATER also winning silver in the Finn Europeans. MCINTOSH has since teamed with fellow Olympic medallist KENDALL to create a Tornado team with huge potential. Jo ALEH placed ninth in the Laser Radial Europeans in August this year.

KENDALL will be back into training soon after the birth of her second daughter. She is named in the Squad and has the full support of DAVIS based on her Olympic history.

'A top ten performance in a World Championship is a signal to both the sailor and Yachting New Zealand that an Olympic medal is possible, and consistent performance makes that outcome more probable,' says DAVIS. 'Yachting New Zealand wants to do everything within its power to help that sailor stand on the Olympic podium. Olympic Squad sailors will receive funding, and most importantly, at the cornerstone of Yachting New Zealand's program, is coaching.

'The sailors will have coordinated coaching to work towards the skill and speed necessary for success in Quingdao, sailing site of the 2008 Olympic Games. The best coaches available will work with our sailors together with me as Olympic Director, to correct weaknesses. This will be a three season build-up to the final goal: Olympic Medals.'

The three-season program will ramp up the skills and qualities essential to succeed in the medal quest. This potential medal squad will campaign in Europe, traditionally home to the Kiwi's toughest competition. They will also train in Asia, replicating conditions anticipated at the Olympic sailing venue, Quingdao.

Yachting New Zealand appointed Des BRENNAN as Chief Executive in February this year. He describes the thinking behind the changes in the Olympic programme, 'We can no longer be all things to all people when it comes to the Olympics. Our focus has narrowed to winning medals. In order to do that we have designed a programme that prepares every element and phase of our Olympic Squad. It is a dual programme for success in the short term at the 2008 Olympic Games, and one which will lift our performance bar for the future. I can confirm that we have candidates appropriate to our goals in seven of the eleven Olympic classes. We will campaign on these.'

'Competition is intensifying,' says BRENNAN, 'driven by increasing investment and more countries participating professionally. Governments, global media and global businesses all see advantage in the elevation of international sporting achievement. There is national pride on one hand and global viewers, provided by unique and compelling programme content, on the other. The Olympic Games is at the pinnacle of all of this. We want to get back there - hence our slogan towards renewed greatness.'

Competition for New Zealand's Olympic class sailors takes place predominantly in the northern hemisphere. DAVIS will decide early which regattas the Olympic Squad sailors should be targeting to put them on track for Beijing and will pay close attention to ensure that they are sufficiently prepared. World class coaches and international training partners will be used to fine-tune performance and gauge progress.

Sailor Biographies

Barbara KENDALL - RS:X
www.barbarakendall.com

Olympic legend KENDALL announced today her intention to campaign towards Beijing.

Age: 38 years
Married to Shayne BRIGHT with two daughters

Career Highlights:

• New Zealand's most successful female Olympian
• Bronze medal, Sydney 2000
• Silver medal, Atlanta 1996
• Gold medal, Barcelona 1992
• Three-time Mistral Women's World Champion - 1998, 1999, 2002
• First NZLfemale to ever win a World Championship in an Olympic sailing class
• Four-time New Zealand Sports Woman Of The Year in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2002
• Two-time Yachting New Zealand Sailor of the Year in 1992 and 1996
• Awarded MBE for services to yachting in 1992

Andrew MURDOCH - Laser

MURDOCH's bronze medal in the strong fleet at the Laser World Championship this year is testament to the fact that he is in top form and on target.

Age: 23 years

Highlights:

• Bronze medal, Laser World Championship 2005
• Seventh Laser World Championship 2003
• Eighth Laser European Championship 2005
• Two-time ISAF Youth Worlds medallist, Silver 2000 and Bronze 1999
• YNZ Young Sailor of the Year 2000

Jo ALEH - Laser Radial

ALEH won silver at the Laser Radial at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in 2004. Now announced as an Olympic class, lightweight and fast ALEH is New Zealand's bright hope in the Radial.

Age: 19 years

Highlights:

• Ninth place, Laser Radial European Championships 2005
• Silver medal, Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship 2004

Dan SLATER - Finn

This is SLATER's first season in the Finn class, he has campaigned the Laser and the 49er in the past.

Age: 29 years

2005 Highlights:

• Silver medal at Finn European Championships 2005
• Sixth place at Finn Gold Cup 2005
• Fourth place at International 14's World Championships 2005

Sharon FERRIS, Raynor SMEAL and Ashley HOLTUM - Yngling
www.teaminspiration.co.nz

The Team Inspiration crew have been sailing together since April this year. FERRIS has raised them to a very high level in a short space of time.

Ages:
FERRIS: 31 years
SMEAL: 29 years
HOLTUM: 21 years

Team Highlights:

• Silver medal, Yngling World Championships 2005
• Current ISAF World Sailing Ranking - 4

FERRIS's Career Highlights:

• Seventh place Yngling, Olympic Games, Athens 2004
• Fifth place Europe, Olympic Games, Atlanta 1996
• Part of winning crew aboard Doha 2006 in the Oryx Quest non-stop around the world race 2005
• Four WSSRC World Speed records as part of the Maiden 2 crew
• Crew of Amer Sports 2 in Volvo Ocean Race 2001, 2002

Aaron MCINTOSH and Bruce KENDALL - Tornado
www.aaronmcintosh.co.nz

MCINTOSH and KENDALL, both Olympic medallists in board sailing have joined forces in the Tornado class.

Ages:
MCINTOSH - 33 years
KENDALL - 42 years

Highlights for MCINTOSH:

• Sixth place, Tornado World Championship 2005 (sailing with Carlos ESPINOLA, Argentina)
• Bronze medal, Men's Boardsailing, Olympic Games, Sydney 2000
• Fourth place, Men's Boardsailing, Olympic Games, Atlanta 1996
• Three-time Mistral World Champion, 1994, 1997 and1998
• Yachting New Zealand Sailor of the Year 1997 and 1998

Highlights for KENDALL:

• Gold medal, Men's Boardsailing, Olympic Games, Barcelona 1988
• Bronze medal, Men's Boardsailing, Olympic Games, Seoul 1984
• World Champion, Boardsailing, 1993
• Yachting New Zealand Sailor of the Year 1998