Australia qualifies for 470 Women's class at Olympic Games

by Rob Kothe on 16 Jul 2007 Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson have qualified Australia for an 2008 Olympic berth in the 470 Women's class.

At the 2007 470 Women's Worlds in Cascais Portugal, the Australian duo were in fifth place overall. In the second last race before the Medal round, they were surfing downwind in heavy conditions and buried their bow into the wave ahead. they dismasted and we unable to compete in the second race of the day.

Although the pair finished 18th overall, there was an inital belief that they had missed as only 13 nations qualify from 470W at Cascais.

However with China being outside that Quota, Australia finished 18th but lifted to 13 because

France had both a second and a ninth
USA had both 10th and 13th
Japan had both foutht and 11th
Slovenia had a 12th and a 17th
China was 16th, but was excluded from the 13 nation quota.

Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Nations qualified for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition:

Netherlands
China
France
Great Britain
Japan
Sweden
Italy
Brazil
Israel
USA
Slovenia
Germany
New Zealand
Australia


Australia will now compete in every class at the 2008 Olympic Games except the RS:X Men.