Tauranga sailors Jason Saunders and Peter Burling are among the first New Zealanders named as members of the country's Olympic team headed to London in 2012.

The team is expected to be about 200-athletes strong and today the sailing contingent was selected.

Jason Saunders and Peter Burling are heading to the London Olympics.

The NZL team is: Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (49er), Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie (women's 470), Andrew Murdoch (laser), Jon Paul Tobin (RS:X), Paul Snow Hansen and Jason Saunders (men's 470), Stephanie Hazard, Jenna Hansen and Susannah Pyatt (women's match racing) and Sara Winther (laser radial).

These places in the team were confirmed to the New Zealand Olympic team today by New Zealand Olympic Committee selectors, headed by its Secretary General, Kereyn Smith.

These sailor nominations and selection follow robust performances at the recently concluded Sailing World Championships in Perth, where NZL Sailing won three medals.

A silver medal was won by Tauranga 49er sailor Peter Burling.

Kereyn says the 12 athletes named today will represent New Zealand proudly in London from July.

'We're delighted to name the first members of an exciting and high performing Olympic Team.

'We're expecting our 100th Olympic medal at London 2012 and are confident our sailors will contribute to this.”

Olympic Scholarship holders Blair Tuke and Peter Burling (49er) won silver at Perth on the back of a bronze win earlier this year at the Olympic Test event.

The duo was delighted to be named to the team.

'We're really growing in confidence and moving steadily up the results table,” says Blair, heading for his first Olympic Games.

'Being named to the Olympic team is a huge boost and we're focused on an even better performance at London next year.”

Peter represented New Zealand in Beijing where he finished 11th in the 470 class.

'The Olympic Games are an opportunity to once again represent my country with pride.”

The athletes were selected following nomination to the New Zealand Olympic Committee by Yachting New Zealand.

New Zealand Olympic Committee selectors confirmed the athletes had met the mutually agreed selection criteria.

'Some of the spots were particularly hard fought and we know today's announcement will be particularly disappointing for some,” says Kereyn.

'It's a reflection of depth of talent within sailing right now. The selection process is robust and results-driven.”

Yachting New Zealand Olympic Director Jez Fanstone says the athletes make up a young team with strong podium potential.

'The athletes named today are the in-form athletes who have performed at the 2011 ISAF worlds and who are on track to perform at London 2012.

'Our goal is to learn the lessons from these worlds, to continue improving and to be back on the podium in 2012. Today's announcement is a celebration of a successful World Championship and a successful year for the NZL sailing team.”

There are nine athletes under 25 years of age in the sailing team and equal mix of male and female.

There are three remaining classes not yet selected – Finn, Star and Women's RS:X.

The Star class is yet to qualify an Olympic spot for New Zealand.

The process will continue until the completion of class world championships in 2012.

The Olympic sailing course for London 2012 is situated at Weymouth where conditions are expected to favour the New Zealand team.

'They're well-balanced conditions not unlike the East Coast Bays of Auckland,” says Jez.
London 2012 will be the first Olympic Games where match racing will feature on the programme.

New Zealand has been represented in Olympic sailing since Melbourne in 1956 where Jack Cropp and Peter Mander won gold in the Sharpie class.

A total of 16 Olympic medals (seven gold, four silver, five bronze) have been won by Kiwi yachtsmen and women.

With a total of 96 New Zealanders representing New Zealand in sailing at Olympic Games in the past, London will see New Zealand's 100th Olympic athlete take to the water.

New Zealand Olympic Team Selections will continue throughout the build-up to the games with men's and women's basketball expected to be the last possible team to qualify and be selected in July next year.

The London Olympic Games are July 27 until August12.

The New Zealand team is expected to contain athletes from 17 different sports.