Trials to select British teams for the ISAF Team Racing World Championship 2003 in New Zealand proved conclusive at Whale Island in Portsmouth last weekend.
Going into the final weekend, Spinnaker and Royal Thames Yacht Club were tied on 3.5 points, with Friends of Alice Lisle and New Forrest Pirates both on 2.5 points - but it was the Pirates team of Stuart Hudson and Linda Eadie, Dom Johnson and Debs Kershaw and Owen Modral sailing with Jane Stamp, who took final honours to book their place on the plane to Auckland.
The Spinnaker team comprising Steve Tylecote and Mel Hughes, Pete Barton and Sally Cuthbert and Rob Sherringham sailing with Richard Guy, will also compete at the championships, which take place during the break between the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series Finals and the start of the America's Cup on a course close to Auckland Harbour Bridge.
RTYC finished third with 7.5 points and Friends of Alice Lisle fourth with 6.5 points.
RYA racing services manager David Atkinson commented: "The teams have fought long and hard over three tough weekends and it has been a difficult selection trials. The level of competition has been very high and I think the two teams that have been selected have a good chance of doing well at the worlds."
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