Three top sailors added to the NZL Sailing Team
by Sail-World on 31 May 2012
Marcus Hansen and Josh Probeski (NZL) tack in front of the crowd - 49 World Championship 2012 Nikola Sisko
Following their sixth placing at the 2012 49er World Championships in Croatia earlier this month, Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski have been added to the NZL Sailing Team, they join Jim Turner, who on Tuesday, was selected for the 2012 Olympic Games in the Star class with Hamish Pepper.
The NZL Sailing Team includes New Zealand’s top tier sailors in the Olympic classes, some campaigning towards London 2012 and others aiming for Rio 2016. Team members are usually required to have achieved a top ten place in the current World Championship, or be included in the current Olympic team. Places in the team generally last for the year, and have to be re-earned. Multiple sailors per Olympic class can be included if they have met the qualifying standard. Included competitors will also usually be the recipients of PEG grants from Sport NZ/High Performance NZ, and other financial assistance.
Marcus and Josh are training partners for the NZL Sailing Team’s other 49er crew: Olympic representatives Peter Burling and Blair Tuke. Both just 19 years old. Marcus and Josh teamed up for their first major 49er regattas together in late 2011. They are at the start of their Olympic campaign and their sights are firmly set on the Rio 2016 Games.
Jim Turner also teamed up with sailing partner Hamish Pepper in late 2011, and achieved early success. Turner (36) has been sailing since age ten, achieving success in many classes from the one person 4.2m Laser dinghy to the 20+m Maxi Class yachts, and has six world championship titles to his name.
The NZL Sailing Team now includes 21 sailors:
Andrew Murdoch (Laser)
Andy Maloney (Laser)
Dan Slater (Finn)
Hamish Pepper & Jim Turner (Star)
Jo Aleh & Olivia Powrie (470)
JP Tobin (RS:X)
Marcus Hansen & Josh Porebski (49er)
Mike Bullot (Laser)
Paul Snow Hansen & Jason Saunders (470)
Peter Burling & Blair Tuke (49er)
Sam Meech (Laser)
Sara Winther (Laser Radial)
Steph Hazard, Susannah Pyatt & Jenna Hansen (Women's Match Racing)
Tom Ashley (RS:X)
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