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Steinlager 2 will leave the dock on Sunday afternoon with a bunch of young sailors wanting to make a positive impact on the environment and will return three days later with sailors armed with more ideas on how to make this happen.
The second BLAKE Inspire for Sailors programme gets under way on Sunday, when 22 young sailors gather for a five-day environmental leadership development adventure. The programme is a collaboration between BLAKE and Yachting New Zealand and focuses on the environment and the haste with which we need to act to minimise the impact of climate change.
The participants will spend two nights aboard Steinlager 2, the boat made famous by Sir Peter Blake in winning the Whitbread Round the World Race, and they'll visit Goat Island Marine Reserve and Tiritiri Matangi.
They'll also drop into Team New Zealand's base as well as the Wakatere Boating Club, where they will review how the club are progressing with their Yachting New Zealand Clean Club programme, and hear from leading environmentalists and marine scientists. They'll also take part in a panel discussion with Bianca Cook, Mark Orams and Sarah-Jane Blake.
"The most exciting thing for me is that these sailors are the potential leaders of the future but I'm also looking forward to them realising the impact they can have on their clubs now," said Yachting New Zealand sport development director Raynor Haagh, who will help lead the programme. "We were really impressed with the quality of applicants from the young sailors from all over the country."
A small number of scholarships were available, thanks to BLAKE and 11th Hour Racing, the NZL Sailing Foundation and Auckland Yachting and Boating Association.
2022 BLAKE Inspire for Sailors Participants
Alys Lowe: Timaru Yacht & Power Boat Club
Angus Norris: Worser Bay Boating Club
Arthur Mahon: Pleasant Point Yacht Club
Erica Hudson: Wanaka Yacht Club
Freya High: Nelson Yacht Club
Isabelle Booth: Gulf Harbour Yacht Club
Kheesa Rahman: Cambridge Yacht Club
Lachy Boniface: Wakatipu Yacht Club
Lara Teodorescu: Bucklands Beach Yacht Club
Laura Watkins: Wanaka Yacht Club
Lucy Blyth: Howick Sailing Club
Max Beck: Muritai Yacht Club
Megan Hume: Wakatere Boating Club
Micah Duckles: Otago Yacht Club
Pepa Cloughley: Otago Yacht Club
Olivia van Boven: Ngaroto Sailing Club
Petra Arthur: Naval Point Club Lyttleton
Petra Pratt-Rink: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
Scarlett Crosby: Gulf Harbour Yacht Club
Sofia Currie: Maraetai Sailing Club
Sophie Eaton: Glendowie Boating Club
Zoe Ham: Paremata Boating Club & Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club
