Ashley to defend gold medal in London [NZ's Olympic medal winners]
1:05PM Wednesday Jan 28, 2009
Beijing gold medallist Tom Ashley has committed to another Olympic campaign. Photo / Getty Images

Tom Ashley has decided he will aim for a second straight Olympics board sailing gold medal at the 2012 London Games.

Ashley, 24, has been weighing up his future since winning the event at the Beijing Olympics last August.

He has also been appointed to work as an adviser for the New Zealand Olympic team.

- NZPA

Dream-team announced to lead sailing’s Olympic medal seekers

Date released: 28 January 2009
From: Zoe Hawkins

The duo appointed to prepare the New Zealand sailing team for the London Olympic Games come with the highest possible credentials and an impressive track record:

Jez Fanstone has skippered a Volvo Ocean Race campaign and managed three Olympic programmes. But his most recent achievement, and the one he is best known for is as coach to British sailor Ben Ainslie, whose successes included Olympic Gold medals in three consecutive games.

Now, as Olympic Programme Manager for Yachting New Zealand, Jez will bring his immense talent for leading teams to ultimate success to New Zealand sailors competing in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

In this quest he will be backed up by somebody who knows exactly what is required to deliver Olympic Gold for New Zealand. Gold medalist Tom Ashley will be embarking on a campaign to represent New Zealand at the London Olympics where he aims to defend his title. Tom is one of the rare breed to achieve both World Champion and Olympic Champion status in the same year.  He will use his experiences and talent to help the team in an advisory role and to help coach and mentor the up and coming stars of New Zealand Yachting.

For 2012, Yachting New Zealand has refined its program and management structure to build on the achievements of the buildup to the Beijing Olympic Games, where New Zealand secured 13 podium finishes at World Championship and Olympic events in the Olympic sailing classes.

“This team is notable for its current campaign experience and its Olympic medal tally,” says Yachting New Zealand’s Chief Executive Des Brennan. “As sailors, campaigners, coaches and managers, Tom and Jez are the best in the world. In the next four years they will be joined by a team of talented sailors, coaches and managers to lead our quest for sailing medals, particularly targeting the 2012 Olympic Games in London.”

Des Brennan says that Jez is a proven leader and a world class coach and sailor who fully understands the commitment required and the subtleties of coaching and leadership.

Jez comments: “The New Zealand sailing team has the talent to secure Olympic medals not only in London, but in future Games. I have spent many years working closely with people like Ben Ainslie and overseeing major international sailing teams, and I can see that New Zealand has world-class potential. Our challenge now is to put the final refinements on it in the build up to 2012.”

New Zealand’s sailing record in Olympic class over the last four years makes the country one of the very best performers in Olympic classes, says Des.

“However we must keep pushing to improve our position in the increasingly competitive international sporting environment,” he explains. “We have worked with Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) to set very ambitious goals for 2012, and we believe that we have a world-beating plan and team in place to succeed.”

ENDS

For more information please contact:

Des Brennan
Chief Executive
Yachting New Zealand
09 361 4024
des@yachtingnz.org.nz

OR

Zoe Hawkins
021 273 5070
media@yachtingnz.org.nz

2008

http://tvnz.co.nz/content/1888893

Gold

An Olympic gold medal draped around his neck, a half-eaten Snickers bar in his hand, a shattered Tom Ashley slumped on a leather couch and soaked it all up.
He harked back nine years to his first sailboard, a 15th birthday present from his parents John and Julie which set him from yachting P-class on the path to today’s stunning gold medal sail for New Zealand on Fushan Bay.

Dad John was on hand, proudly watching his son from the media boat, and Ashley junior was on the phone to his mum in Auckland and his Brazilian fiancee Mariana, who was enduring a nerve-wracking sleepless night inland from Rio de Janeiro. The pair will marry there in January.

One of his first well-wishers was Olympic icon Barbara Kendall, who along with fellow 2000 Sydney bronze medallist Aaron McIntosh inspired him to dream of the Olympics on a board.

It was all Ashley could do to keep his emotions in check as God Defend New Zealand rang out under the late afternoon Qingdao sun.

“I’ve been kind of on the verge of tears for the last 24 hours. I managed to hold it all in but the relief killed a little bit of all that,” Ashley said.

“I slept okay, but all through last night and this morning I was pretty nervous and you’d be mad not to be. It’s a pretty tough situation.”

Today he started one point off the lead, held by Frenchman Julien Bontemps, and level with another close rival Nick Dempsey.

The dangerman Shahar Zubari, a light air specialist, was the potential giantkiller in light eight-knot air.

After Ashley got a fast start to the right of the course, he tacked left to keep his two rivals within sight.

Then came two big moments: when he crossed Dempsey with a metre to spare, and when Bontemps fell off his board at the first mark.

The Briton screamed at Ashley in protest, but it was dismissed by the on-water jury. The 24-year-old Aucklander knew he’d won his first battle.

“He had a little bit of nerves on as well and made a bigger deal of it than it should have been, so I figured at that stage that he was a little bit broken and struggling a bit.”

While Zubari sailed past, Ashley had enough of a buffer and just needed to hold off the other pair. He held Bontemps by eight seconds in what his coach Grant Beck described as the perfect race.

“It was pretty much a case of managing it, not trying to let too many guys past and staying between my opposition,” Ashley said.

“I was trying to win gold but the main focus was on not coming away with nothing as well.

“I took it a little bit easy on the downwind just in case I had to work on the reaches but that didn’t help so much because I was just buggered when I got to the reaches anyway.

“I was hoping no one was going to come through.”

Then the relief, and a thought to all who’d helped him, including Mariana who was on hand for his punishing training schedule in Spain.

A big party was in store, then an uncertain future with a break and possibly a legal degree on the cards for Ashley who speaks fluent Portuguese, Spanish and French.

“The first thing is to have a really good holiday and spend a couple of months enjoying this.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve lived like a monk but I’ve been really really focused on this one objective for the last four years.”

- NZPA

Olympic Sailing Daily Wrap 21 August 2008
Date Released: 21st August 2008
From: Jodie Bakewell-White

________________________________________
The 2008 Olympic Sailing Regatta has concluded today with the Star class medal race – New Zealand’s Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams have finished 9th.
With the wrap up of the Star medal race, sailed in gusty winds, rain and big waves off Qingdao, all eleven Olympic champions have now been decided.

New Zealand’s Final Results

GOLD – Tom Ashley, Men’s RS:X
5th – Andrew Murdoch, Laser
6th – Barbara Kendall, Women’s RS:X
7th – Jo Aleh, Laser Radial
9th – Hamish Pepper & Carl Williams, Star
11th – Carl Evans & Peter Burling, Men’s 470
12th – Dan Slater, Finn

New Zealand’s top performance was far and away the gold medal from RS:X windsurfer Tom Ashley, who since his winning race yesterday has been busy fulfilling media commitments.

New Zealand’s most recent Olympic gold medalist had this to say after yesterday’s conclusion to the Men’s RS:X event, “I’ve done it! It’s the most incredible feeling and I can’t begin to tell you how I feel right now.”

“I’ve been working toward this for so many years. It was an insanely tough medal race.”

“The weather had a little bit of everything. I tried to sail as consistently as I could.”

The New Zealand team in Qingdao is extremely proud of the new Olympic champion.
“Tom you’re a legend!! An impressive effort to finally stand on top of the podium!” team-mate Carl William’s commented yesterday, “A true professional with one goal in mind. Being the best!”

Another four kiwi crews had top ten showings with Andrew Murdoch, New Zealand’s second best result at the 2008 Olympic Sailing Regatta. While Murdoch was disappointed to not return a sailing medal at this Games for his country, 5th place in the hard fought 43 strong Laser fleet is no mean feat.

In today’s Star class medal race Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams came home in 8th place which means their overall result is 9th place. Today’s race sailed on course A in rainy, blustery conditions was quite a spectacle for the crowd on the breakwall, who came out to watch despite the weather.

The battle for the gold medal went the way of Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson of Great Britain, who were lying 2nd going into the medal race. Robert Scheidt of Brazil got up to claim the silver edging out Fredrick Loof of Sweden on count back, who went into today’s race with the lead and came away with the bronze medal.

STAR Final Results (top five)

GOLD GBR Iain Percy & Andrew Simpson
SILVER BRA Robert Scheidt & Bruno Prada
BRONZE SWE Fredrik Loof & Anders Ekstrom
4th POL Mateusz Kusznierewicz & Dominik Zycki
5th SUI Flavio Marazzi & Enrico De Maria

9th NZL Hamish Pepper & Carl Williams

MEN’S RS:X Final Results (top five)

GOLD NZL Tom Ashley
SILVER FRA Julien Bontemps
BRONZE ISR Shahar Zubari
4th GBR Nick Dempsey
5th BRA Ricardo Santos

WOMEN’S RS:X Final Results (top six)

GOLD CHN Jian Yin
SILVER ITA Alessandra Sensini
BRONZE GBR Bryony Shaw
4th ESP Marina Alabau
5th AUS Jessica Crisp
6th NZL Barbara Kendall

1956

Celebrated New Zealand Sportsmen Of The Twentieth Century
Ray Harrison and Maurice Agar – 3/3/00

Ray Harrison, deeply involved in the yachting world, nominates the Mander family as making an outstanding contribution to yachting, and Maurice Agar, Chairman of Canterbury Tennis Inc, nominates Anthony Wilding as New Zealand’s greatest tennis player.

The Mander brothers, Graham, Peter and David in 1950; even then with a total of nine national titles to their credit.
Photo source “Ebb and Flow” with permission

The Mander Brothers
For the Manders yachting dominated family life. As I wrote in the book, Ebb and Flow, a Centennial History of the Christchurch Yacht Club 1891-1991, “there was a family ‘think tank’ approach to the sport”. The Mander parents were enthusiastic about yachting and worked hard for the club and helped many young people develop their skills in the sport.
Peter’s successes
Peter Mander (4.7.28-21.6.98) won his first national title in the 1945 Cornwell Cup regatta – the first of a dozen national titles gained in seven different classes, in addition to two world titles and an Olympic gold medal in 1956 – the first Olympic gold medal for yachting won by New Zealand.

Mander was one of a few yachtsmen who realised that yachting could not become a New Zealand Olympic sport unless a national organisation was formed. The nearest we had was the annual Sanders Cup conference and from this originated the New Zealand Yachting Federation which held its inaugural annual meeting in 1954, its primary purpose being to affiliate with the NZ Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association in order to enter a yachting team in the 1956 Olympics.

Although it was virtually unknown in New Zealand, the Canterbury syndicate chose the Sharpie Class as, from their point of view, the more promising of the three Olympic yachting classes. Two yachts were built and a third resurrected and modified to comply. The national trials were held at Lyttelton and resulted in a narrow win for Peter Mander and Jack Cropp in Jest, over Graham Mander and Tiger Wilson in Quest . The Auckland and Wellington representatives were outclassed. So began the qualification for Melbourne which led to New Zealand’s first yachting Olympic gold.

Gold medal winners Jack Cropp (left) and Peter Mander
Photo source P.G. Mander

In preparation for the Olympics Mander and Cropp raced against Quest all winter. As with the current America’s Cup series, the unsung heroes are the crews in the second boat which, racing against the yacht in the limelight, bring it to peak performance. In those days there were no wet suits, no commercial sponsors, and little assistance outside the family. The yachties built and repaired their own boats, sailed their own races, and surprised the yachting world by winning the gold medal for the Sharpie class in the Melbourne Olympics.

Mander also won the New Zealand yachting representation in the Olympic Finn Class at Tokyo in 1964. There misfortune cost him the silver medal when, leading towards the finish of the last race, gear failure on his Japanese-provided yacht reduced his points to fourth over-all.

His success was not simply because he was a skipper of superior sailing and technical ability, but because he brought his whole intellect to bear upon the complex problem of boat speed on all points of sailing. He read, studied, discussed, experimented and discarded or adopted countless ideas, many of which paid off. He recognised the value of sail shape and the bearing of rigging upon it. He introduced innovations in standing and running rigging, sail setting, hydrofoil under-water gear, remotely controlled pumps, self-draining devices, controllable, flexible rigs, trapezes and out-board hung rudders. He was concerned to work on any detail which would improve boat speed, but not for commercial gain. He was not only an outstanding helmsman, but also a designer, boat builder, sail maker and rigging specialist par excellence.

Service to the sport
He also gave of his time on the administrative side of the sport locally and nationally, holding positions in the Christchurch Yacht club and becoming President of the New Zealand Yachting Federation in 1959. He served for many years on the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Committee.

In 1978 he was appointed Yachting Manager for the coming Moscow Olympics. He accompanied the team to the pre-Olympics regatta at Tallin but New Zealand eventually withdrew from this event as part of a world-wide protest. His final appointment of significance was as Project Manager to the New Zealand America’s Cup Challenge in 1986 at Perth where his rich and varied experience was invaluable in so many ways.

Recognition for his services and his successes
For his services to New Zealand yachting he was awarded the Sir Bernard Fergusson Award for Yachtsman of the Year in 1972 and the New Zealand Yachting Federation’s Merit Award in 1989. In 1990 came the highest sporting honour when along with his former Olympic crew Jack Cropp, he was elected an inaugural member of New Zealand’s Sports Hall of Fame. In 1992 he was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Honours for services to yachting.

He continued to work voluntarily for yachting at local, provincial and national levels right up to the time of his death in 1998. Peter was also well known in Canterbury businesses for many years as managing director of Deanes Industries, and as a director of other companies.

The roles of Peter’s brothers Graham and David
Peter’s brothers, Graham and David, are less well known, but have both won national titles, Graham thirteen plus NZ Olympic representation and David three. Like Peter both have given generously of their time and served voluntarily on the administrative side of the sport and also in coaching countless others.

The sport of yachting has been much enriched by the Mander family.

Nominated by Ray Harrison
Ray has sailed for most of his adult life, has been a local, national, and international yachting judge and was closely associated with Peter Mander for many years.

The following information is collected from Wikipedia

1956

Peter Mander
Olympic medal record
Gold 1956 Melbourne Sharpie class
Peter Garth Mander (born July 4, 1928 in Christchurch – died June 21, 1998) was a former New Zealand yachtsman and Olympic Gold medal winner. With Jack Cropp , Mander won the Sharpie class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Mander then retired from competitive yachting, but made a comeback and was selected to compete in the Finn class at the 1964 Summer Olympics where he finished fourth. He later became the president of the New Zealand Yachting Federation.

He is the older brother of Graham Mander, who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics, also as a yachtsman.

Jack Cropp

John “Jack” Urquhart Cropp (born May 23, 1927) is a former New Zealand yachtsman who won an Olympic Gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Together with Peter Mander, Cropp won the Sharpie class. Originally born in Hokitika, Cropp now resides in Takaka, Golden Bay.

1964

Helmer Pedersen

Olympic medal record
Competitor for  New Zealand
Sailing
Gold 1964 Tokyo Flying Dutchman class
Helmer Orlaf Leif Pedersen (born March 28, 1930 in Copenhagen, Denmark – died August 24, 1987) is an Olympic Gold medallist for New Zealand in yachting. With Earle Wells, Pedersen won the Flying Dutchman class at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Pedersen had previously been the reserve for the same class at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. In his home country of Denmark he had been mainly a Finn class yachtsman but could not make the Danish Olympic team due to the presence of the great Paul Bert Elvstrøm.

He died in 1987 from lung cancer.

Earle Wells

Olympic medal record
Sailing
Gold 1964 Tokyo Flying Dutchman class
Earle Leonard Wells (born October 27, 1933 in Auckland, New Zealand) is an Olympic Gold medallist for New Zealand in yachting. With Helmer Pedersen, Wells won the Flying Dutchman class at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He later took up ocean racing and competed in 5 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races.

1984

YACHTING; New Zealand, U.S. Clinch

Published: August 8, 1984
New Zealand’s Rex Sellers achieved an insurmountable lead in the Olympic yachting Tornado Class today to clinch the gold medal in the division, barring any protests filed Haines of the United States also gained an insurmountable lead in the Soling Class to clinch a gold.

Pending the outcome of a protest filed by the United States, Luis Doreste of Spain clinched the gold medal in the 470 class.

In the Tornado Class, competition continues Wednesday with the American Randy Smyth and Denmark’s Paul Elvstrom battling for second and third places.

There should also be a battle in the Solings as only 6 points separate the second through fifth positions.

Jonathan McKee of the United States moved into the lead in the Flying Dutchman Class by winning Monday’s race. Terry McLaughlin of Canada finished eighth in the race, falling into second place over all.

John Bertrand of the United States finished second in Monday’s Finn to give him a big lead with 13 nets points.

Despite an eighth-place finish Monday, Kent Carlson of Sweden retained first place in the Star class with 22 net points.

From 1984

Russell Coutts, DCNZM, CBE, born March 1, 1962 in Wellington New Zealand is a competitive sailor who is considered by many to be the best match racer in the world. His achievements include a Gold medal in the Finn Class in the 1984 Olympic Games, winning the America’s Cup three times and various sailing world championships.

In 2004 he only competed twice on the Swedish Match Tour, but won both events convincingly. He is also undefeated in the America’s Cup with 14 wins and no losses.

Coutts started in the America’s Cup sailing as part of the New Zealand team that won and defended the Americas Cup in 1995 and 2000.

He left Team New Zealand after the 2000 event and joined the newly founded Swiss Alinghi team run by Ernesto Bertarelli and went on to win the 2003 America’s Cup sailing against his former team mates. Coutts’ move to Alinghi was greatly resented in New Zealand, was often portrayed as a betrayal and he was even described as being possibly the most disliked New Zealander alive. Coutts and other Alinghi team members even received death threats during the 2003 America’s Cup.

In late July 2004, Coutts’ employment with Alinghi Holdings was terminated over allegations of contractual breach. Rumours emerged within sailing cirles about contrast between Coutts and Bertarelli. In March 2005, Coutts and Bertarelli reached an amicable settlement that concluded a clause that Coutts would not sail for another syndicate in the upcoming 32nd America’s Cup, which was sailed in Valencia Spain and was won by Alinghi.

In February 2007 Coutts teamed up with Paul Cayard to create a new annual global sports series, the World Sailing League (WSL) which is planned to be held at various sailing locations around the world. In July of 2007 Coutts was named CEO and Skipper of BMW Oracle Racing, an American Challenger to the America’s Cup.
Russell Coutts has  gone on from his Olympic games to build a Sailing career and become a household name.
1981 – ISAF World Youth Champion / 1st
1984 – Olympic Games / Los Angeles / Finn Class / Gold Medal
1992 – World Champion / Match Racing
1993 – World Champion / Match Racing
- Admiral’s Cup / “Pinta” / 1st
1994 – World Champion / Match Racing
1995 – America’s Cup / Skipper of BlackMagic / San Diego / Winner (37 victories, 1 loss)
1996 – World Champion / Match Racing
2000 – America’s Cup / Team New Zealand / Auckland / Winner (5 to 0)
2001 – World Champion / 12 metre JI / Cowes
- World Champion / Farr 40 / Southampton, UK
2003 – Louis Vuitton Cup / Class America / Alinghi / Auckland / 1st
- America’s Cup / Alinghi / Auckland / Winner (5 to 0)
2006 – Bol d’Or Rolex / Decision 35 / Team Banque Gonet / Switzerland / 1st
- World Champion / Farr 40 / Vincenzo Onorato Team / Newport, U.S.
2007 – World Champion / TP 52 / Team Artemis
2008 – Cagliari RC 44 Cup, Match Racing / RC 44 / BMW ORACLE Racing / Cagliari, Italy / 1st
- TP 52 Audi MedCup / TP 52 / Team USA 17 / 1st
- Malcesine SLAM Cup, Match Racing / RC 44 / BMW ORACLE Racing / Malcesine, Italy / 1st

References
New York Times January 10, 2003. YACHT RACING; New Zealand Cries Betrayal As Skipper Races for Swiss

BBC SPORT | Other Sport… | Sailing | Coutts to lead Oracle challenge

External links
www.russellcoutts.com – Official Russell Coutts’s website
www.rc44.com – Official RC44 Class Association’s website
www.transpac52.org – Official Transpac 52′s Website
bmworacleracing.com – Official BMW ORACLE Racing’s Website
www.americascup.com – Official America’s Cup’s Website
This New Zealand biographical article relating to sports is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Bruce Kendall
Olympic medal record
Competitor for  New Zealand
Men’s Sailing
Gold 1988 Seoul Sailboard (Lechner)
Bronze 1984 Los Angeles Sailboard
Anthony Bruce Kendall (born 27 June 1964 in Papakura, New Zealand is a 2 time Olympic medallist in yachting. Competing in boardsailing his first medal was a Bronze at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, USA. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea he improved to win the Gold medal. Kendall also competed at the following Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, just failing to win another medal due to faulty equipment.[1] At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Kendall was a Sailing coach for the New Zealand team.

Kendall has recently (2007) attempted to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics in the Tornado class along with fellow former Olympic boardsailing representative Aaron McIntosh but has been unsuccessful.

Bruce is the older brother of Barbara Kendall who is also an Olympic Gold medallist. They are the only brother and sister to have achieved this feat for New Zealand.

Rex Sellers
Olympic medal record
Men’s Sailing
Gold 1984 Los Angeles Tornado class
Silver 1988 Seoul Tornado class
Rex Samuel Sellers (born November 11, 1950 in Nelson, New Zealand) is one of New Zealand’s most successful yachtsmen, having won an Olympic Tornado gold (with Chris Timms) in 1984, a silver (with Timms) in 1988 and finished fourth (with Brian Jones) in 1992. In addition, Sellers was third (with Mark Rayner) at the 1982 world champs at Kingston in Canada.

Sellers was a yachtie of considerable experience before he ever got to the Olympics. As early as 1961 he was sailing in the Scootum class before progressing through P Class, Cherubs and 470s into the Flying Dutchman and then, in 1977, Tornados.

He and Gerald Sly were chosen to represent New Zealand at the Tornado class at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, but never competed because of the American-led boycott. They and the Brazilians would have been pre-Olympic gold medal favourites.

In the lead-up to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, Sellers sailed with Gerald’s brother Rex and they dominated the national trials. However, Sellers and Rex Sly had a falling out and late in the piece, Sellers phoned long-time rival Chris Timms to ask him if he wanted to team up. They hadn’t been the best of friends and were quite different personalities — Sellers quiet and considered, Timms ebullient and outspoken — but they sailed brilliantly together. In Los Angeles, they had a 3-2-1-2-1-2 sequence and were able to bypass the final race and still win by a wide margin.

When the next Olympics, in Pusan, rolled around four years later, Sellers and Timms combined again, though they didn’t see a lot of each other in the interim — Sellers was a fisherman in Nelson (he moved to Auckland in 1990), Timms a resin chemist in Auckland. In the extremely testing conditions at Pusan, the New Zealanders won a silver medal, to confirm they were still right in the top world class.

Sellers and Timms were preparing for their third Olympics together, at Barcelona in 1992, when their team split and Sellers went to Barcelona, instead, with Brian Jones as his crew. They proved competitive and were shaded for a medal, finishing fourth.

Sellers was by now getting long in the tooth for a top-class yachtie, but he and Jones attended the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia — Sellers was by then nearly 46 — though they could manage just a 15th placing from nineteen starters.

Sellers, along with Timms and Russell Coutts, was named New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year in 1984. Two of Sellers’ sons, Ross and Brett, have risen to national prominence in sailing. In the 2002-2003 America’s Cup, Sellers was employed by the American team, Oracle.

Chris Timms
Olympic medal record
Men’s Sailing
Gold 1984 Los Angeles Tornado
Silver 1988 Seoul Tornado
Christopher (“Chris”) Ian Timms (March 24, 1947–March 3, 2004) is considered to be one of the finest yachtsmen to come from New Zealand.

Born in Christchurch, Timms’ sports passion initially was mountain climbing. He was a university student in Christchurch in the 1960s and would climb whenever possible until in 1966 he was seriously injured after falling 200 feet on to an ice edge, while climbing Met Elie de Beaumont at the head of the Tasman Glacier. A friend was killed in the same fall.

Timms spent three months in traction and decided to give mountaineering a wide berth after that, turning to sailing. He moved to Wellington to finish his university studies and began sailing Shearwater catamarans with Laurie Hope. After a couple of years they won the national title. But the Shearwater catamarans were a relatively minor class, so Timms then turned to Tornados, not only sailing them, but even building one in his flat in Wellington.

After Hope gave away competitive sailing, Timms teamed with Simon Grain and they won the national title in 1974, 1975 and 1976, as well as doing some sailing at big events overseas. The goal was the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Timms and Grain earned nomination, but were not chosen — two of only three people nominated but not sent to the Olympics that year.

Grain shifted to Australia and Timms then teamed with Peter Douglas. They finished fourth in the world championships at Long Beach in 1977. Timms and Hope reunited, targeting the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, but were beaten for selection by the pairing of Rex Sellers and Gerald Sly.

When Hope quit, Timms found yet another helmsman, Brian Peet. Timms-Peet placed third at the 1981 pre-Olympic regatta at Los Angeles, won the 1981 Canadian nationals and were sixth in the 1982 pre-Olympics.

In the 1984 Olympic trials Timms and Peet were edged out by Sellers and Rex Sly. But Sellers and Sly had a falling out, and Sellers invited Timms, a long-time rival, to join him in sailing the Tornados at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

It turned out to be a magic partnership. They were diverse personalities — Timms outspoken and ebullient, Sellers more understated — but they worked well on the water. In California, they had a 3-2-1-2-1-2 sequence and were able to bypass the final race and still win by a wide margin. Four years later they made a gallant effort to retain their Olympic title, finishing with the silver at Pusan.

They were preparing for a tilt at their third Olympics when their partnership broke up and instead Sellers sailed at Barcelona with Brian Jones.

Timms’Olympic career was over. He was a resin chemist in Auckland. In 1992 a massive fire in his resin factory destroyed his three boats, ending any lingering hopes he had of having a tilt at Olympic selection that year. His business, Adhesive Technologies, has continued to thrive, making him wealthy.

In 1984, Timms, Sellers and Russell Coutts shared the New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year title. Timms was tragically killed in a plane crash in the Firth of Thames on March 19, 2004 while preparing for an aeronautics show.

Craig Monk

Olympic medal record
Men’s Sailing
Bronze Barcelona 1992 Finn Class
Craig Monk (born 23 May 1967 in Stratford, New Zealand) is a competitive sailor who won a Bronze medal in the Finn Class at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Monk also competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta after narrowly beating Dean Barker for selection in the New Zealand team. He finished 13th. Monk has since been extensively involved in America’s Cup racing. He was recruited as a grinder by Russell Coutts for the successful challenge in 1995 and the subsequent defense in 2000.

Leslie Egnot
Medal record
Competitor for  New Zealand
Women’s Sailing
Summer Olympics
Silver Barcelona 1992 470
Leslie Egnot, born 28 February 1963 in Greenville, South Carolina, is an American-born yachtswoman who competed for New Zealand at 2 Olympic Games and won a Silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Egnot teamed with Jan Shearer in the women’s 470 class and finished second behind the Spanish crew.

Egnot and Shearer competed again at 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta finishing 16th. There competitiveness was hampered by an injury Egnot was carrying at the time. Egnot had previously been a reserve for Shearer and Fiona Galloway at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Egnot reverted to her American passport in 1995 and became one of the first women to helm an America’s Cup yacht. She is now a contracted coach with Yachting New Zealand and is its Olympic Operations Manager.

Egnot’s younger sister Jenny has also represented New Zealand in yachting at the Olympics, competing in the 470 at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Jan Shearer

Medal record
Competitor for  New Zealand
Women’s Sailing
Summer Olympics
Silver Barcelona 1992 470
Jan Shearer(-Jones), born 17 July 1958 in Greenville, South Carolina, is a New Zealand yachtswoman who competed for New Zealand at 3 Olympic Games and won a Silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Shearer teamed with Leslie Egnot in the women’s 470 class and finished second behind the Spanish crew.

Shearer and Egnot competed again at 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta finishing 16th. There competitiveness was hampered by an injury Egnot was carrying at the time. Shearer had previously teamed with Fiona Galloway at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul where they finished 6th.

Shearer later married fellow international yachtsman Murray Jones.

Barbara Kendall

Olympic medal record
Competitor for  New Zealand
Women’s Sailing
Gold 1992 Barcelona Sailboard (Lechner)
Silver 1996 Atlanta Sailboard
Bronze 2000 Sydney Sailboard
Barbara Kendall (born August 30, 1967 in Papakura) is a boardsailor from New Zealand. She won a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, silver medal in 1996 (in Atlanta, Georgia), and a bronze medal in 2000 (in Sydney)[1] Kendall finished 5th at the 2004 Games in Athens and sixth at the 2008 Games in Beijing. She is the first, and as of 2008, only woman from New Zealand to compete at 5 Olympic Games.

She has been the Oceania athletes’ representative on the International Olympic Committee since 2005, having replaced Susie O’Neill who resigned in 2005 (Kendall was the athlete from the same continent who had received the next highest number of votes for the commission), and is on the New Zealand Olympic Committee Athletes Commission.

Rod Davis

Medal record
Competitor for  United States
Men’s Sailing
Summer Olympics
Gold Los Angeles 1984 Soling Class
Competitor for  New Zealand
Men’s Sailing
Summer Olympics
Silver Barcelona 1992 Star Class
Rod Davis, born 27 August 1955 in the United States is a former competitive sailor who won Olympic medals for two different countries. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, representing the United States, he won the Gold medal in the Soling class along with Robert Haines and Edward Trevelyan. After moving to New Zealand he was chosen to represent that country at the next 3 Olympic Games. Along with Don Cowie he won a Silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain in the Star class.

Davis and Cowie finished fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and were also fifth in the Soling class at Sydney along with 3rd crewman Alan Smith.

In ocean racing, Davis began his involvement with the America’s Cup in 1988 when he was appointed coach of the New Zealand team. It was at this time that he moved to New Zealand. He has subsequently been involved in several America’s Cup campaigns for various syndicates. In 2005 he was appointed Yachting New Zealand’s Olympic Director.

Don Cowie

Medal record
Competitor for  New Zealand
Men’s Sailing
Summer Olympics
Silver Barcelona 1992 Star Class
Don Cowie, born 5 January 1962 in Palmerston North, New Zealand, is a former competitive sailor who won a Silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Cowie teamed with ex-American Rod Davis in the Star class to finish second to the American crew.

Cowie and Davis finished fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and were also fifth in the Soling class at Sydney along with 3rd crewman Alan Smith. Cowie was the yachting section team leader for New Zealand at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

In international keelboat racing Cowie has been in winning teams in the Kenwood Cup (for Japan), the One Ton Cup (for New Zealand and the Admiral’s Cup (for Germany). He has also been part of several America’s Cup teams.

Aaron McIntosh

Olympic medal record
Men’s Sailing
Bronze 2000 Sydney Sailboard
Aaron McIntosh (born 7 January 1972 in Auckland) is a sailor from New Zealand who won a Bronze medal at 2000 in Sydney. He had previously just missed out on a medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta finishing a close fourth. At the World Mistral Championships he finished third in 1993, second in 1995 and won three times in 1994, 1997 and 1998. McIntosh attempted to qualify for a third Olympics at Beijing in the Soling class but was unsuccessful.

OLYMPIC YACHTING MEDAL HISTORY BY COUNTRY

OLYMPIC YACHTING MEDAL HISTORY BY COUNTRY

Year   Venue   Class   Gold   Silver   Bronze
1896  Greece

Sailing cancelled due to weather
1900 Paris (Meulan & LeHavre)

Open Class U.K. Germany France
1/2 Ton France France France
1/2 – One Ton U.K. France France
1 – 2 Ton Switzerland France France
2 – 3 Ton U.K. France France
3 – 10 Ton France France Holland
10 – 20 Ton France France U.K.
1904 St. Louis

No sailing events.
1908 London (Ryde & Firth of Clyde)

6 Meter U.K. Belgium France
7 Meter U.K. Only one entry.
8 Meter U.K. Sweden U.K.
12 Meter U.K. U.K.
15 Meter No entries.
1912 Stockholm(Nynashamn)

6 Meter France Denmark Sweden
8 Meter Norway Sweden Finland
10 Meter Sweden Finland Russia
12 Meter Norway Sweden Finland
1916 Berlin

Olympics cancelled due to World War I.
1920 Antwerp

6 Meter (new rule) Norway Belgium
6 Meter (old rule) Belgium Norway Norway
6.5 Meter Holland France
7 Meter U.K. Only one entry.
8 Meter (new rule) Norway Norway Belgium
8 Meter (old rule) Norway Norway
10 Meter (new rule) Norway Only one entry.
10 Meter (old rule) Norway Only one entry.
12 Meter (new rule) Norway Only one entry.
12 Meter (old rule) Norway Only one entry.
30 Square Meter Sweden Only one entry.
40 Square Meter Sweden Finn Holland
18′ Dinghy U.K. Only one entry.
1924 Paris (Meulan & LeHavre)

6 Meter Norway Denmark Holland
8 Meter Norway U.K. France
Monotype Belgium Norway Finland
1928 Amsterdam(Zuiderzee)

6 Meter Norway Denmark Estonia
8 Meter France Holland Sweden
Monotype Sweden Norway Finland
1932 Los Angeles(Newport Beach)

6 Meter Sweden USA Canada
8 Meter USA Canada
Monotype France Holland Spain
Star USA U.K. Sweden
1936 Berlin (Kiel)

6 Meter U.K. Norway Sweden
8 Meter Italy Norway Germany
Monotype Holland Germany U.K.
Star Germany Sweden Holland
1940 Tokyo Olympics cancelled due to World War II.
1944 London Olympics cancelled due to World War II.

1948 London  (Torquay)

6 Meter USA Argentina Sweden
Dragon Norway Sweden Denmark
Firefly Denmark USA Holland
Star USA Cuba Holland
Swallow U.K. Portugal USA
1952 Helsinki (Harmaja)

6 Meter USA Norway Finland
5.5 Meter USA Finland Sweden
Dragon Norway Sweden Germany
Finn Denmark U.K. Sweden
Star Italy USA Portugal
1956 Melbourne (Port Phillip)

5.5 Meter Sweden U.K. Australia
Dragon Sweden Denmark U.K.
Finn Denmark Belgium USA
Star USA Italy Bahamas
Sharpie New Zealand Australia U.K.
1960 Rome  (Naples)5.5 Meter USA Denmark Switzerland
Dragon Greece Argentina Italy
Finn Denmark Russia Belgium
Flying Dutchman Norway Denmark Germany
Star Russia Portugal USA
1964 Tokyo (Sagami Bay)

5.5 Meter Australia Sweden USA
Dragon Denmark Germany USA
Finn Germany USA Denmark
Flying Dutchman New Zealand U.K. USA
Star Bahamas USA Sweden
1968 Mexico City (Acapulco)

5.5 Meter Sweden Switzerland U.K.
Dragon USA Denmark Germany
Finn Russia Austria Italy
Flying Dutchman U.K. Germany Brazil
Star USA Norway Brazil
1972 Munich (Kiel)

Dragon Australia Germany USA
Finn France Greece Russia
Flying Dutchman U.K. France Germany
Soling USA Sweden Canada
Star Australia Sweden Germany
Tempest Russia U.K. USA
1976 Montreal (Kingston)

470 Germany Spain Australia
Finn Germany Russia Australia
Flying Dutchman Germany U.K. Brazil
Soling Denmark USA Germany
Tornado U.K. USA Germany
Tempest Sweden Russia USA
1980 Moscow (Tallinn) U.S. Boycott
470 Brazil Germany Finland
Finn Finland Austria Russia
Flying Dutchman Spain Ireland Hungary
Soling Denmark Russia Greece
Star Russia Austria Italy
Tornado Brazil Denmark Sweden
1984 Los Angeles (Long Beach)

470 Spain USA France
Finn New Zealand USA Canada
Flying Dutchman USA Canada U.K.
Soling USA Brazil Canada
Star USA German Italy
Tornado New Zealand USA Australia
Windglider Holland USA New Zealand

1988 Seoul (Pusan)

470 Women USA Sweden Russia
470 Men France Russia USA
Finn Spain USVI New Zealand
Flying Dutchman Denmark Norway Canada
Lechner New Zealand Holland USA
Soling Germany USA Denmark
Star U.K. USA BrazilTornado France New Zealand Brazil
1992 Barcelona

470 Women Spain New Zealand USA
470 Men Spain USA Estonia
Europe Norway Spain USA
Finn Spain USA New Zealand
Flying Dutchman Spain USA Denmark
Lechner Men France USA Australia
Lechner Women New Zealand China Holland
Star USA New Zealand Canada
Soling Denmark USA U.K.
Tornado France USA Australia
1996 Atlanta (Savannah)

470 Women Spain Japan Ukraine
470 Men Ukraine U.K. Portugal
Europe Denmark Netherlands USA
Finn Poland Belgium Netherlands
Laser Brazil U.K. Norway
Mistral Men Greece Argentina Israel
Mistral Women Hong Kong New Zealand Italy
Soling Germany Russia USA
Star Brazil Sweden Australia
Tornado Spain Australia Brazil
2000 Sydney

470 Women Australia USA Ukraine
470 Men Australia USA Argentina
49er Finland U.K. USA
Europe U.K. Netherlands Argentina
Finn U.K. Italy Sweden
Laser U.K. Brazil Australia
Mistral Men Austria Argentina New Zealand
Mistral Women Italy Germany New Zealand
Soling Denmark Germany Norway
Star USA U.K. Brazil
Tornado Austria Australia Germany

2004

2008

YACHTING
International Competition
The bulk of overseas yachting competition until 1956 has been with Australia. In earlier years this consisted in the participation by individual New Zealand yachts in Australian regattas. In 1888 Logan built the notable 5-ton yacht Akarana to race at the Melbourne Centennial Regatta. In Australia she was rated at 6½ tons and was forced to sail in the 10-ton-and-under class. Despite this, she won the first prize of £140 and was later taken to Sydney, where she was again successful. The Logan cutter Rainbow, launched in 1898 and regarded, with the modern Auckland yacht Ranger, as the most successful racing craft built in New Zealand, was shipped to Sydney in 1900. The yacht competed in several Australian regattas and won some very notable victories. The cutter Waitangl also had a successful racing career in Australian waters.

As this was a form of competition too expensive for the average yachtsman to undertake, it was not until the end of the Second World War and the rapid development in New Zealand of small centreboard classes capable of competing overseas that the race series against Australia began to grow in popularity. In 1938 four Auckland V class unrestricted 18-ft yachts, Riptide, Vaalele, Irena, and Manane, were shipped to Australia to compete against the world-famous Sydney 18-footers. In mostly light winds the New Zealand team was soundly beaten. In a return contest in 1939, sailed on Auckland harbour, the New Zealand team took first and second places. This series developed into the World 18-ft Championship for the Giltinian Trophy. This trophy has been contested regularly since 1945 and has been sailed in Auckland, Sydney, and Fiji.

Inter-Dominion championships between Australia and New Zealand are sailed annually in unrestricted 12 ft dinghies for the Silasec Trophy.

At the 1956 Olympic Games held in Melbourne, New Zealand competed in Olympic yachting for the first time. P. Mander and J. Cropp won the gold medal in the 12-sq.-metre Sharpie class, the two-man boat for the games. New Zealand was second to Australia, but, after the disqualification of the Australian boat, was placed first. New Zealand competed in the keel-boat class at the same games. R. L. Stewart, sailing a Dragon-class yacht, was placed twelfth. As New Zealand had no competitive background of racing in these classes, the team’s success was significant.

New Zealand competed in the 1960 Olympic Games yachting sailed on the Bay of Naples. R. Roberts was placed sixth in a fleet of 35 in the monotype Finn-class. In the two-man centreboard series sailed in Flying Dutchman class boats, R. Watson, of New Zealand, was placed eighth in a fleet of 31.

At the 1964 Olympic Games, sailed at Sagami Bay, near Tokyo, New Zealand entrants H. O. L. Pedersen and E. L. Wells won the gold medal for the Flying Dutchman class while P. Mander was placed fourth in the Finn-class.

Between 1958 and 1960 the New Zealand Finn-class yachtsman, R. Roberts, sailed in class championships in Australia, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom. In the World Finn-class Championships at Zeebrugge in 1958 he was placed thirtieth in a seven-race series of 82 competitors. In the Inter-Dominion Finn-class Championships sailed in Sydney in 1962, New Zealand gained the first three places in a five-race series of 27 competitors. The placings were: R. Watson, first; R. Roberts, second; and P. Mander, third.

New Zealand competed in the 1958 International Flying Dutchman Class World Championships in Austria. Calypso (I. Pryde, R. Simich) was placed fifteenth in a fleet of 46. At the 1962 World Series held in Florida, U.S.A., the New Zealand Duchess(B. Skinner, D. Brook) finished twelfth in a 19-boat fleet. In a championship held in Florida in the same year New Zealand was placed third overall. In 1962 an inter-Dominion contest in Flying Dutchman class boats was sailed at Sydney. The placings were:

First: Huybers, Australia, 5,113 points

Second: Pandora, New Zealand, 4,511 points

Third: Calpreta, New Zealand, 4,379 points

Fourth: Haurere, New Zealand, 4,192 points
The New Zealand international 14 ft class team sailing in England in 1958 was placed second to Canada in a sail off for the International Teams Race. The coveted Prince of Wales Cup was won by Atua Hau (G. Smale, R. Roberts), of New Zealand. The other New Zealand boat, Calypso (I. Pryde, R. Simich), won the Weymouth Town Cup in the same year.

Olympic and overseas competition in International-class boats caused a rapid growth in the number of boats in these classes in New Zealand. Although this has been to the detriment of established New Zealand classes, local centreboard boats are being developed as training classes for yachtsmen seeking international competition. An important development in small-boat racing overseas which has had a widespread impact in New Zealand in recent years is the growth of multihulled craft, such as the catamaran and trimaran. This type of yacht, capable of reaching sustained speeds of 30 knots, has proved popular in New Zealand, and national championships are held annually in one-design 12 ft catamarans. To date, New Zealand has not competed internationally in this class of boat.

Teams
2004 – Athens, Greece
Finn Dean Barker 13th
470 Men Andrew Brown / Jamie Hunt 26th
470 Women Shelley Hesson / Linda Dickson 16th
Mistral Board Men Thomas Ashley 10th
Mistral Board Women Barbara Kendall 5th
Europe Sarah Macky 8th
Laser Hamish Pepper 7th
Yngling Sharon Ferris / Joanna White / Kylie Jameson 7th

2000 – Sydney, Australia
Finn Clifton Webb 16th
Soling Rod Davis / Don Cowie 5th
470 Men Simon Cooke / Peter Nicholas 7th
470 Women Melinda Henshaw / Jenny Egnot 11th
Mistral Board Men Aaron McIntosh BRONZE
Mistral Board Women Barbara Kendall BRONZE
Tornado Chris Dickson / Glen Sowry 5th
Europe Sarah Macky 9th
Star Gavin Brady / Jamie Gale 9th
Laser Peter Fox 21st
49er Dan Slater / Nathan Handley 8th

1996 – Atlanta / Savannah, USA

Finn Craig Monk 13th
Soling Kelvin Harrap / Jamie Gale / Sean Clarkeson 14th
470 Men Rohan Cooke / Andrew Stone 22nd
470 Women Leslie Egnot / Jan Shearer 16th
Board Men Aaron McIntosh 4th
Board Women Barbara Kendall SILVER
Tornado Rex Sellers / Brian Jones 15th
Europe Sharon Ferris 5th
Star Rod Davis / Don Cowie 5th
Laser Hamish Pepper 10th

1992 – Barcelona, Spain

Finn Craig Monk BRONZE
Flying Dutchman Murray Jones / Greg Knowles 4th
Soling Russell Coutts / Simon Daubney / Graham Fluery 8th
470 Men Craig Greenwood / jon Bilger 7th
470 Women Leslie Egont / Jan Shearer SILVER
Board Men Bruce Kendall 4th
Board Women Barbara Kendall GOLD
Tornado Rex Sellers / Brian Jones 4th
Europe Jenny Armstrong 4th
Star Rod Davis / Don Cowie SILVER

1988 – Seoul, Korea
Finn John Cutler BRONZE
Flying Dutchman Murray Jones / Greg Knowles 5th
Soling Tom Dodson / Simon Daubney / Aaron Hansen 7th
470 Men Peter Evans / Simon Mander 6th
470 Women Fiona Galloway / Jan Shearer 9th
Board Men Bruce Kendall GOLD
Tornado Rex Sellers / Chris Timms SILVER

1984 – LA, United States of America
Finn Russell Coutts GOLD
Flying Dutchman Dave McKay / Luke Carter 10th
Soling Tom Dodson / Simon Daubney / Aaron Hansen 11th
470 Men Peter Evans / Sean Reeves 14th
Board Men Bruce Kendall BRONZE
Tornado Rex Sellers / Chris Timms GOLD

1976 – Montreal, Canada
Finn Jonathan Farmer 15th
Flying Dutchman Jock Bilger / Murray Ross 12th
Soling Hugh Poole / Gavin Bornhouldt / Chris Urry 19th
470 Men Mark Paterson / Brett Bennet 5th

1972 – Munich

Dragon Ronald Watson / Noel Everett / Fraser Beer 5th
Finn Brett De Their 10th
Flying Dutchman Jock Bilger / Murray Ross 9th
Soling Stephen Martin / John Scholes / Cornelius Linton 21st

1968 – Mexico City

Finn Jonathan Farmer 11th
Flying Dutchman Geoff Smale / Ralph Roberts 8th

1964 – Tokyo, Japan

Finn Peter Mander 4th
Flying Dutchman Helmer Pedersen / Earle Wells GOLD

1960 – Rome, Italy

Finn Ralph Roberts 6th
Flying Dutchman Ronald Watson / Murray Rae 8th

1956 – Melbourne, Australia

Dragon Robert Stewart / Edgar Swinnerton / Albert Guthbertson 12th
Sharpie Peter Mander / Jack Cropp GOLD

Happy Sailing

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