Paris2024: Kiwi sailors 'excited to get stuck in' on eve of Olympic competition
by Eduan Roos/Yachting New Zealand 27 Jul 02:50 NZST
Thomas Saunders - NZL - ILCA 7- Olympic training - Marseille - Paris2024 Olympic Regatta - July 25, 2024 © Gilles Martin-Raget
The New Zealand sailing team is raring to go and hoping their time spent preparing in Marseille - as well as a touch of opening ceremony magic - pays off when Olympic competition starts in a few days.
Speaking to the media ahead of tonight's opening ceremony in Paris, Molly Meech said the selection of her 49erFX teammate Jo Aleh as one of the Kiwis' flagbearers will serve as extra motivation to make the country proud when the first start gun fires on 28 July.
Aleh was named alongside track cyclist Aaron Gate to lead the New Zealand team at the ceremony, which will be held on the River Seine from 5.30 am (NZ time).
"We're all really, really proud that Jo will be leading us into the Olympics," Meech said. "It's a great honour to be the flagbearer for New Zealand, and watching the announcement yesterday was pretty emotional for the entire squad.
"Jo is already doing us proud, and she is such a great role model not only for sailing but for sport in New Zealand."
Aleh is a two-time Olympic medallist, having won gold in 2012 and silver in 2016 in the 470 alongside Polly Powrie. She teamed up with Rio silver medallist Meech in the women's skiff in 2022, and the pair are hoping to draw on their combined experience in Marseille.
"We've both got our experiences in different classes and with different people. So I think we're definitely drawing on those, and we've learned a lot sailing together in the last few years," Meech said.
"We've been pushing really hard, and we're excited to get stuck in next week and to put down a performance that we're proud of and that, hopefully, New Zealand can also be proud of."
Making their Olympic debut in the men's skiff (49er) are Will McKenzie and Isaac McHardie.
It's the same class Peter Burling and Blair Tuke made famous before the pair decided to prioritise the America's Cup over this Olympic cycle.
"Pete and Blair have paved the way for what New Zealand yachties can achieve, and we've got some big shoes to fill," McKenzie said.
"To have them as role models, to pass down a lot of information, and just be there for any questions we have has put us in a good position to achieve a good result here. We're confident that we can do that and continue that legacy."
In Burling and Tuke's absence, McKenzie and McHardie have established themselves as one of the leading 49er crews in the world.
"The class is very even at the moment and any one of the top eight to ten boats has a chance of winning gold. We're really just fighting for every metre - we've got a shot but it's going to be very close."
Conditions have proven challenging with the temperature in Marseille rising to the mid-30 degrees.
"This is definitely one of the hottest venues I've been to. On the concrete, it feels like 40 degrees but fortunately, we've got some good cooling strategies in place - we've got ice vests and ice baths and we try to spend as little time as possible in the sun.
"But the heat is something everyone experiences, so we've just got to deal with it the best we can."
Marseille has become a home away from home for the Kiwi sailing team, with most of the squad spending the last two months preparing in the southern French city.
"It's a pretty tricky venue where you can expect any condition but we've spent a lot of time here to get comfortable. We've seen all the conditions possible, so that gives us the confidence that we shouldn't see anything too surprising," said Tom Saunders.
The ILCA 7 veteran and former world champion has been training with two of the pre-regatta favourites - Australia's Matt Wearn and Michael Beckett of Britain.
"It's a pretty good squad to train with and I'm fortunate to be mixing it with those guys. They've set the benchmark in our class and it's been cool to just fly under the radar. The pressure is all on them."
Also competing at her first Games is Tauranga windfoiler Veerle ten Have.
While windsurfing is not new to the Olympics, foiling has been introduced to the discipline for the first time in Paris in the form of the iQFOiL.
"In some ways it's a massive change, but at the same time, a lot of the sailing and skills required are very similar to the windsurfing class," ten Have said.
With sailors reaching speeds of over 50 km/h, spectators can expect plenty of high-octane action.
"We're going fast and the competition is pretty close, so it's important to know the rules and have some quick reaction times because if you don't there can be some brutal crashes!"
For the full sailing schedule olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/sailing?day=28-july