The potential Kiwi Nacra 17 teams for Tokyo 2020 have imploded in a frenzy of partner swapping as the pressure to represent New Zealand grows.
Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders, the fourth place Nacra 17 team from Rio 2016, have split up just one year from the 2020 Games.
Each sailor has formed a new partnership and in total three new Nacra 17 crews have emerged with less than one year to go until the Games – each could be contenders.
Three years into the transition to foiling the duo decided to split from each other siting lack of progress against their goals.
With only a year until the next games, the split comes relatively late compared to most double handed sailing reorganizations, which might trouble kiwi sailing fans.
Gemma Jones now teams up with Josh Porebski, the former 49er World Championship bronze medalist, who simultaneously ends his 49er campaign despite quite a bit of success in 2019.
With the return of Burling and Tuke (NZL) to the top of the 49er table, the opportunity to sail with Jones was an appealing one for Porebski.
Jason Saunders will continue to crew but now for Olivia Mackay and are the Kiwi team with the most combined experience in the Nacra 17, and both are in the same spots on the boat they have been racing in for years.
Featuring this week at the 2019 Test Event in Japan is the third team of Erica Dawson and Micah Wilkinson.
Erica is a talented young sailor who formerly raced the 49erFX. She had been helming in past years, but now will be crewing for Micah, who himself switches from crewing for Olivia to helming.
Whether these new teams can be ready to perform at the elite level by the Games and while hosting the 2019 World Championship (Dec 2019) in home waters will be required viewing for sailing fans.
The Ready Steady Tokyo test event begins on Saturday, 17 August.
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