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An enjoyable introduction to regatta sailing and some new friends is what the 2023 PredictWind Girls Championship was all about for eight-year-old Ivy Jones.
And, as mum Mahani explains, the bumper prize pack at the end of the two-day event didn’t hurt!
Ivy was one of around 120 girls who competed across six different classes at the annual regatta, which has been running for more than 30 years and was again held over two days at Kohimarama Yacht Club last weekend.
Watching older brother Kingston sail in the Optimist for a while, Ivy was keen to try it out - and while she is yet to complete her first learn-to-sail course, the opportunity to compete last weekend was too good to pass up.
“The yacht club [Kohimarama] helped her quite a lot in the week leading up to the regatta and even on the day they were helping her with a few of the things she hadn’t yet learned and keeping an eye on her,” Mahani said.
“She did really well and she enjoyed the sailing – she did one-and-a-half races on the first day before a big gust of about 20kn came in and she completed all four races on the second day. We are very proud of her.”
Ivy Jones enjoyed her first regatta - and making new friends. Photo / Mahani Jones
The best part of Ivy’s first Girls Champs was her experiences off the water, Mahani said.
“She loved getting to play with all the other girls. She made quite a good friend and they did everything together.
“Playing capture the flag - with a sailing twist – was also great fun and getting one of the lucky dip prizes at the end [of the regatta] was a highlight. Having a T-shirt and cap in the box became the girls’ uniform and made them feel like they were all in this group together.”
The 2023 PredictWind Girls Championship Regatta attracted 120 sailors across six different classes. Photo (and top banner photo) / Live Sail Die
Kohimarama Yacht Club girls coordinator Bronwynne Howse said the feedback she received has been overwhelmingly positive.
“In many ways, this was our best regatta yet. We managed to get 120 girls at the event, which was a big goal for us, and the all-female race committee made it just that little bit more special,” Howse said.
“The girls and their families were incredible and they understand what this event was all about – developing the girls as sailors and people.”
A series of workshops hosted by Yachting New Zealand, to connect younger sailors with more experienced girls in an informal setting - and a separate session for parents - was also well-received.
Yachting New Zealand also selected five participants who will have hour-long mentoring sessions with some of the country’s leading female sailors - Jo Aleh, Molly Meech, Alex Maloney, Erica Dawson and Veerle ten Have.
One lucky coach will also have the opportunity to spend a day with Yachting NZ’s ILCA 6 lead coach Jenny Armstrong at a future AON Youth Clinic to enhance their coaching skills and see what the coaching pathway could look like.
According to Howse, planning is already under way for next year’s event.
“Next year will be all about replicating and enhancing the regatta and being even more targeted to further boost our numbers and messaging,” she said.
“Hopefully, we can accommodate more girls from all around the country.”
Results from the 2023 PredictWind Girls Championship Regatta hosted by Kohimarama Yacht Club
Optimist green fleet (30 boats)
1st: Mia Meikle (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 1 1 1 (6) 3 2 1 - 9 points
2nd: Indi Holland (Wakatere Boating Club) 3 2 6 1 1 1 (12) - 14 pts
3rd: Phoebe Willis (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 2 3 3 (9) 4 3 2 - 17 pts
Optimist white fleet (4 boats)
1st: Ollie Frewin (Howick Sailing Club) 2 2 1 (4) 1 1 2 - 9 pts
2nd: Sienna Meikle (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 1 1 2 (3) 2 3 1 - 10 pts
3rd: Cathy Liu (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 3 3 3 2 (4) 2 3 - 16 pts
Optimist open fleet (27 boats)
1st: Isla Barker (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 3 1 1 2 (4) 1 2 - 10 pts
2nd: Greta Hutton (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 2 (4) 4 1 1 2 1 - 11 pts
3rd: Charlotte Handley (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 1 2 3 (4) 3 4 4 - 17 pts
Starling fleet (21 boats)
1st: Amelia Higson (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 3 1 (4) 2 1 1 4 - 12 pts
2nd: Jess Handley (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 2 (8) 2 4 2 3 7 - 20 pts
3rd: Madison Russell (Maraetai Sailing Club) (6) 5 6 3 4 5 5 - 28 pts
Starling development fleet (10 boats)
1st: Stella Robson (Maraetai Sailing Club) 1 (7) 4 2 1 2 1 - 11 pts
2nd: Emily Frewin (Howick Sailing Club) 3 2 3 3 (6) 1 2 - 14pts
3rd: Karol Zhang (Howick Sailing Club) 2 (4) 1 1 3 4 4 - 15 pts
Open skiff fleet (13 boats)
1st: Valentina Gladiadis (Manly Sailing Club) (2) 1 1 2 1 1 1 - 7 pts
2nd: Mia Peters (Manly Sailing Club) 1 3 (7) 7 2 2 2 - 17 pts
3rd: Sienna Jordan (Manly Sailing Club) 3 2 2 (6) 5 5 5 - 22 pts
420 fleet (2 boats)
1st: Tessa Clinton/Nicola Hume (Wakatere Boating Club) (1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 6 pts
2nd: Mischa Grotrian/Sienna Hawkes (Wakatere Boating Club) (2) 2 2 2 2 2 2 - 12 pts
RS Feva fleet (4 boats)
1st: Elisa Currie/Sofia Currie (Maraetai Sailing Club) 1 1 1 1 1 (2) 2 - 7 pts
2nd: Anna Dold/Lola-Jean Hutchens (Royal Akarana Yacht Club) (3) 2 2 2 2 1 3 - 12 pts
3rd: Breanah Kirby/Sophie Hyde (Maraetai Sailing Club) 2 (4) 3 4 3 3 1 - 16 pts
ILCA 6 fleet (2 boats)
1st: Chloe Turner (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) (2) 1 1 1 2 1 2 - 8 pts
2nd: Daniella Wooldridge (Wakatere Boating Club) 1 2 2 2 1 (3 RET) 1 - 9 pts
Full results here.
