Preparing for World’s Down-under

This super photo, and news excerpt from the CYA website - Ralph, Montreal Sailing

With 9 of the 11 Olympic classes contesting their 2008 World Championships in either Australia or New Zealand during the first 3 months of the new year, Canadian Sailing Team members have been busy preparing themselves to take on these challenges. Venues for training have ranged from the more typical winter local of Miami to the growing favorite of Cabarete to the more distant but appropriate for 2008 venues of Melbourne/Sydney/Auckland.

The 2008 Worlds for the majority of the Olympic classes hold extra significance as they also represent the final Olympic selection opportunity. For the Laser, Radial, RS:X Men & Women, the classes has met the ISAF qualification criteria thus leaving the selection of Canada’s representative in the balance at the Worlds. For the 470 women, Tornado, Yngling (2008 Worlds Miami) and Star (2008 Worlds Miami) the 2008 World Championships represent both the final opportunity to qualify the class but also the individual athlete selection event. In the Finn – Chris Cook, 49er – Gordon Cook/Ben Remocker and 470 Men – Stephan Locas/Oliver Bone the worlds hold a different significance, these team members have been selected to go to the Olympics by virtue of performances in 2007 and are using these championships as preparation opportunities for the big show in Qingdao.