Barbara Kendall

Thursday 4th December brought together some of NZ best sailors to promote windsurfing as a sport and to officially launch the six new Techno boards destined for Tauranga. They are courtesy of the Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy and funded by TECT. At $5800 apiece fully kitted out, the boards aren't cheap but spokesman Stuart Pedersen is adamant they'll be a great investment for the sport's future. "Getting these boards is huge - they'll provide a pathway from learning to windsurf through to getting into serious racing without having to commit to buying your own gear," Pedersen said.

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A series of windsurfing-related events is scheduled for the week-and-a-bit from Thursday 3 December to Sunday 13 December, to announce the arrival of competitive youth windsurfing in Tauranga.

The events, collectively dubbed ‘Wind Week’ follow the purchase of six new Bic Techno racing boards by the Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy, a charitable trust which has been active in developing dinghy sailing in Tauranga since 2004. The boards, generously funded by TECT, are intended to form the core of a regular youth racing fleet alongside the sailing dinghies at the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club. To this end, the Sailing Academy has been promoting a ‘Learn to Windsurf’ course at Kulim Park and 11 budding sailors aged 13 to 16 are about to graduate. Another after school course will be run in term one of next year.

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In tonight's final of Dancing with the Stars Barbara didn't win but she was the judges choice on the night and it was only the public vote that tipped the balance. More good publicity for windsurfing too. Well done Barbara!

Olympic gold medallist – board sailor Tom Ashley has been appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM). He joins Barbara Kendall who was awarded an MBE 1992 for services to windsurfing.

Random House Sports Giveaway! NZLive.com has one Random House Sports Prize Pack to give away to one lucky reader! Pack Includes:

• Lucky Legs: What I’ve Learned about Winning and Losing by Steve Gurney
• Wind Driven: The Barbara Kendall Story by Wendy Kinney-Kendall
• The Great Kiwi Sports Quiz Book by Hamish McDouall

Got to NZLive.com

'Great achievements involve big risks, and equally big sacrifices,but also,the realistic belief that one can achieve their goals...Passion keeps you on your journey,and works on an intangible level to draw those things towards you.'
Barbara Kendall

Wind Driven - The Barbara Kendall Story

Barbara Kendall is the best known and most successful windsurfer in New Zealand history having competed in her fifth Olympics this year.

It’s incredible that she’s still competing, at top international level, when most of her competitors are in their 20s. It’s a harsh environment, and a gruelling physical challenge. Her years of experience in racing, tactics, knowledge about wind and tide conditions,equipment and board handling skills play a big part in her success.But the most important factor of all is her desire to win.

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Barbara and her sister Wendy were interviewed on Radion NZ Nine to Noon today. This is a prelude of a book written by Wendy about Barbara to be launched tomorrow. RadioNZ interview here http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20081106-1129-Barbara_and_Wendy_Ken... or if that doesn't work try here http://www.windsurfingnz.org/downloads/ntn-20081106-1129-Barbara_and_Wen...

Once a year the top echelon of New Zealand sailors are recognised for their achievements with a nomination for the Yachting Excellence Awards. These people, coming from the ranks of Olympic, America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, and other great sailing disciplines, have reached the pinnacle of yachting on a national and international level, and join the likes of Sir Peter Blake, Russell Coutts, Mike Sanderson, Barbara Kendall, and Team New Zealand in our sport’s hall of fame.

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Tom Ashley won New Zealand’s third gold medal of the Olympics when he sewed up the men’s RS:X men’s sailing gold medal in Qingdao today. Sailing in the vital double-points medal race, Ashley was third, just good enough for him to hold on to first position with 52 points, one ahead of Frenchman Julien Bontemps after a thrilling contest. Third place went to Israel’s Shahar Zubari, who finished with 58 points. Except for a disaster in the 10th race, Ashley was the most consistent sailor of the regatta, recording finishing placings of 4-7-7-1-5-5-3-6-8-32-3. He was able to discard the 32 as a worst placing.

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The stage is set for an almighty battle for the men’s windsurfing medals at the 2008 Olympic Games with kiwi Tom Ashley right in the mix. Just one point separates the top three in the men’s RS:X class - France’s Julian Bontemps, Great Britain’s Nick Dempsey and New Zealand’s Tom Ashley going into their medal race set to be sailed tomorrow off Qingdao.

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