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Big fleets were a feature of the Napier Sailing Club's Summer Regatta, with 19 different classes ranging from the Optimist green fleet through to sports boats and trailer yachts ensuring a busy weekend for race management.
As many as 250 boats took part across the three days of racing and there was added spice for some fleets with national, North Island and regional titles on the line.
The 12-foot skiffs were contesting their national title, with Alex Vallings edging Matt Melson and Jono Clough third, while for the Lasers, Laser Radial, Zephyr, Flying Dutchman and O'pen Skiffs it also doubled as their North Island championships.
The Zephyr was the biggest fleet, with 38 boats, and there were also 34 entries in the Laser Radial.
Caleb Armit continued his good form of recent times, which included victory at the NZL Sailing Foundation Youth Championships, to claim the Laser Radial North Island title.
He won two of the five races and never finished outside the top two to finish three points ahead of Thomas Mulcahy and Olivia Christie, who claimed the women's title. Phil Wild was fourth overall and first master.
For some in the fleet, like New Zealand's top female Laser Radial sailor Olivia Christie, it was their first regatta since the Laser Radial world championships in Melbourne in February. Many will be among the entries for this weekend's Sir Peter Blake Regatta at the Torbay Sailing Club and next month's Laser Radial national championships at the Worser Bay Boating Club.
"It was good to see the improvements people had made in training over the winter and all the hard work paying off," said Yachting New Zealand women's sailing manager Rosie Chapman, who also doubles as Laser Radial coach. "I was really impressed with the level of sailing in what was a tricky weekend."
Big windshifts made life difficult on the first day before the sea breeze and nice waves kicked in and shifty offshore conditions predominated on the Sunday.
National champion Luke Cashmore dominated the 15-boat Laser fleet, winning four of the five races to finish three points ahead of Luke Deegan with Eroni Leilua five points further behind in third.
There was plenty of action - and banter - in the hotly-contested Zephyr fleet won by Brian Peet. He finished three points ahead of Matt Mitchell, with Mark Orams a further three points back in third.
Polly Wright, who recently won the Lucke Young Leader award at the Volvo Yachting Excellence Awards, was first female, with Joanna Kempkers second.
There was close to a 70-year age range in competitors in the regatta, with the youngest under 10 and oldest close to 80, and there were also 50 race officials and rescue personnel involved.
The Napier Sailing Club have a busy summer planned and will host a handful of national championships including the OK Dinghy (February 5-8) and the Hartley 16, Noelex 25s and Flying Fifteen (March 5-7).
