Barbara Kendall

ISAF Worlds conclude – NZ earns 8 Olympic places including RS:X Windsurfing womens and mens

New Zealand has qualified to send a representative to the 2008 Olympic Games in the Women’s 470. Melinda Henshaw and Olivia Powrie earned the 470 spot for the country by finishing in 15th place, and just within the top thirteen nations in their class at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cascais, Portugal.

ISAF Windsurfing: World Championship silver for Kendall

Barbara Kendall has won silver at the RS:X World Championships being sailed as part of the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cascais, Portugal. New Zealand now has two medals after Andrew Murdoch also won silver in the Lasers.

ISAF Worlds , Cascais - RS:X windsurfing continues, 6 Olympic berths confirmed in yachting.

New Zealand has now qualified for a place in six classes at the Olympic Games to be sailed in Qingdao next August. Overnight, places were confirmed in the Yngling and Finn classes, at the ISAF Sailing World Championships.

ISAF Worlds - Cascais. Windsurfing continues with mixed results for kiwis

Barbara Kendall continues to climb through the RS:X fleet marching her way into 2nd place overnight with a 3rd and a 1st in last nights racing. The kiwi board sailing legend hasn’t looked back since a poor result in race two in shifty conditions – she now has five top three finishes from seven races.

ISAF Worlds, Cascais - RSX windsurfing - too much wind!

Strong winds meant racing was cancelled for all classes.

“It has blown an absolute hooley all day long in Cascais, with fierce winds causing the abandonment of every scheduled race,” reports ISAF.

“The forecast did predict strong winds, but not the 35 knot blasts that swept across Cascais bay, climbing well over 40 knots on the outer race courses. Just after 19:00 the breeze did drop slightly to just under 20 knots and the Stars went out to sail their Medal Race, but the conditions worsened again and the fleet was sent back to shore.”

RS:X windsurfing - ISAF Worlds, Cascais - kiwis well positioned to qualify NZ for the Olympics

After 5 races the Kiwis are well positioned to secure places in the Olympic finals, in each case they are held back by a single bad result and all are showing signs of improvement.
Jon-Paul Tobin - currently 7th (6,RAF,4,2,3)
Tom Ashley - currently 14th (7,6,16,8,1)
Barbara Kendall - currently 6th (2,26,9,2,2)

ISAF Worlds at Cascais. Windsurfing second day for RS:X conditions are difficult

Day Five at the ISAF Worlds

Conditions were similar to that in day four at the combined World Championship event with blustery winds gusting over 30 knots on the outer courses while breeze on the inner courses was affected by the Sintra Hill behind the town meaning patchy and shifty winds.

All 200 RS:X board-sailors were held up by a postponement due to lack of breeze on their course. Because of the late start there was only one race sailed in both the Women’s and Men’s divisions; they have now sailed a total of three races.

First day for RS:X at ISAF Sailing Worlds, Cascais, Portugal

The RS:X board sailors went racing overnight for the first time for the World Championships titles for 2007 and national qualification for Qingdao. Racing on the inner course took place in fickle light winds at times in the wind shadow of Sintra Hill.

Barbara Kendall kicked off the regatta with a 2nd place, however was 26th in her second race. At the end of day one for the boards she is in 25th place.

In the men’s fleet Jon-Paul Tobin was 6th and 4th in racing overnight to sit in 9th place on the leader board. Meanwhile Tom Ashley was 7th and 6th in his races and lies 18th overall.

Barbara Kendall and Tom Ashley amoung favourites for ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cascais

Portugal. ISAF Sailing World Championships 2007 to start in Cascais
Tuesday, 26 June 2007

The 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships start in Cascais, Portugal on 28 June, with well over 1,600 sailors lining up to dispute 11 World Championship titles and Olympic qualification. The two windsurfing fleets are set to provide some of the most spectacular racing in the windy Cascais conditions – but just who are the title favourites.

Barbara Kendall 4th, J P Tobin 8th= (and makes YNZ Olympic Squad entry benchmark) in European Championships.

The great news from Cyprus is that another sailor has achieved the YNZ Olympic Squad entry benchmark of a top eight placing, or better, in the European Championships, and Barbara Kendall turned in another excellent performance to be fourth overall, continuing her excellent run in Europe this season.