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We’re into May and while the sailing and cruising season is winding down for many, there is still plenty going on here at Yachting New Zealand. Here’s an update…

One of the world’s oldest and harshest extreme sports, ocean racing is a challenge too tough for most adults, but 18 year old Cory McLennan of Greymouth (pictured), and 16 year old Edwin Delaat of Auckland, will team up to race Cory’s boat, Atom Ant, in the Royal New Zealand Auckland to Musket Cove, Fiji Ocean Race starting on 1 June.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee is to amalgamate staff and resources in Auckland as part of its commitment to New Zealand sports and athletes. The move for the head office from Wellington will take place over a period of eight months with Secretary General Kereyn Smith set to take up residence in Auckland in June.

All three of the first Elliott 5.9 trailer boats ever built, as well as several national champions and award-winning yachtsmen, are expected to race in the Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series Regatta, hosted by Opua Cruising Club on 25th and 26th May, 2013.

A group of New Zealand's top youth sailors have an opportunity to compete at the first ever Youth Americas Cup Regatta in September 2013 - and they need your support to help them win it for New Zealand. A little bit, from a lot of people, goes a long way.

Auckland Council is conducting a Survey on the wearing of personal flotation devices (life jackets) – get on-line and have your say.

Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie are in Europe for their first international regatta since winning Olympic Gold at the London Games last year. Opening with two Eurosaf regattas including Garda Trentino Olympic Week (Garda, Italy 8-12 May) and Delta Lloyd Regatta (Medemblik, Netherlands, 21-25 May) the reigning Olympic champions update tell us about the groundwork and planning that they’ve been busy with.

Nine boats will take part in the Auckland to Musket Cove, Fiji Ocean Race that starts from Westhaven Marina on Saturday 1 June.

Light winds forced a delayed start and early finish to day four of the Secondary Schools Teams Racing Nationals. When racing finally got underway it was all action for Round Robin 3. All teams in the Gold Fleet have completed 4 races and it is KeriKeri and Mahurangi that lead the way with 4 wins each, Marlborough Boys and Tauranga share 3 wins. In a change of form both Lindsfarne and Westlake Boys are both struggling with the one win, whilst newcomers to the gold fleet from Wednesday’s repo charge Napier girls have scored a vital win over Kings College.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY BEFORE EXTENDED DEADLINE FRIDAY 17th MAY.

Following the Palma World Cup event concluding, we stayed on in Palma and did a few days of cycling and general fitness work. We joined up with some other Laser sailors and did three days of riding, on all different sides of the island. The roads were awesome to ride on, racing up some big mountains, cruising through cool small European towns built on the waters edge and the daily lunch stop were all highlights of our ‘Palma cycle tour’.

What: Oceania Sailing Federation (OSAF) 2013 Regional Course for Coaches When: Friday 17th to Thursday 23th May 2013 Where: Aitutaki Sailing Academy, Aitutaki, Cook Islands (In association with ISAF, Santander 2014 and IOC Olympic Solidarity)

The ISAF World Sailing Rankings for 29 April 2013 have been released. • Fifteen countries take 30 of the top three ranking positions • Consistent 12-month period for Alonso brothers gives them World #1 spot in the 49er • Mat Belcher and Will Ryan march on with perfect ranking score • Kiwis regain World #1 49erFX spot

This Learn to Sail Coach Course will be held at Murrays Bay Sailing Club on Saturday 27th July and Sunday 28th July. This course is designed for sailors wishing to coach sailors at a beginner and green fleet level. 27th July 9am - 4pm 28th July 9am - 4pm

Alex Maloney and Molly Meech from New Zealand have won gold at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres in the 49erFX class securing the victory today after six days of racing off the French coast. And Josh Junior has taken his first podium finish at a World Cup Regatta with bronze in the Finn.

Winning the Gold Fleet and the NZ Starling Championship was Trent Rippey, George Gautry 2nd, Leonard Takahashi-Fry 3rd. Lola Stoodley 4th and 'First Girl'. The Silver was won by Ben Warren, Tauranga, Taylor Balogh, Naval Point 2nd and Carmen Haybittle, Murrays Bay, 3rd. The Development Fleet was won by Logan Beckman , Murrays Bay, Finn Pritchard, Paremata, 2nd, Perry Scott, Otago Yacht Club 3rd, Bertie Ruscoe, Naval Point 4th.

New Zealand’s 49erFX pair Alex Maloney and Molly Meech has stormed into the lead with one day to run at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres on now in France. Kiwi sailors will also feature in the medal races in the Finn, 49er, Laser and Men’s 470 events with Finn sailor Josh Junior the next best placed of the team and in with a shot at a podium finish. Conditions were challenging, the official report describing; “Tricky conditions have been evident throughout the week and the fifth day of racing was no different. An early morning easterly breeze faded as the day progressed.”

As day four of racing at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres wraps up Alex Maloney and Molly Meech (pictured), lying 2nd in the 49erFX are almost neck and neck with the leaders, while Josh Junior has inched into 3rd in the Finn. Elsewhere the remainder of the kiwi team produced some mixed results. By the end of racing tomorrow sailors must be placed top ten in their fleet, (top eight for the 49erFX and 49er) to qualify for the medal races on Saturday.

Day three at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres brought champagne sailing with nice waves, sun and good easterly breezes returning some excellent results from most of the New Zealand contingent. Four kiwi teams remain in the top five of their fleet, with a further four placed within the top ten as they head into day four of the six day regatta (and day two of finals).

Shades of Hitchcock, Dark, dramatic skies, more than a flock of Starlings. A weather forecast that promised breeze this late in the season for the South Island, vital ingredients for a successful 2013 Starling National Championships. 108 boats in the Open fleet sailing on the Queen Charlotte Sound outside Picton Harbour, just a handful of 'Development' Fleet boats on the inner Harbour, plenty of enthusiastic sailors, supporters, coaches and officials.

The 2013 Hutchwilco Boat Show will provide an exciting promotional opportunity and Yacht Clubs are encouraged to come and be part of the ‘Sailing Central’ pavilion. “Sailing Central, being held as part of the Hutchwilco Boat Show is free for yacht clubs,” explains Miranda Powrie, Coordinator for Sailing Central.

Sense the Wind is a journey into the sport of blind sailing, following blind sailor, Nancy, and three colleagues as they train and compete for the USA Nationals and Blind Sailing World Championships. Though principal photography has been completed, I will be following 2 of our documentary featured impaired sailors at the Worlds in Japan.

This year the Lake Taupo Yacht Club will host the Secondary School Team Racing Nationals, one of the larger sailing events of the year and also one of the larger secondary school sporting events in general. Twenty nine teams will be competing for the honours of best New Zealand secondary school, as well as the right to represent New Zealand at the Inter Dominions ANZAC Teams Sailing Regatta in Brisbane.

Do you see yourself taking the sport further than ‘around the buoys’ at your home club? Do you dream of putting together a campaign toward international competition? Yachting New Zealand is keen to know who you are, where you are, and what your sailing aspirations are.

Racing at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres is underway with day one of the six day regatta now drawing to a close in Hyeres, France. A solid team of kiwi campaigners are competing including 14 entries across six events including the Laser, Finn, 49er, 49erFX, Men’s 470 and Nacra17. Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox have opened with an almost faultless performance in the Men’s 470 class to top the 63 strong fleet after day one of qualifying, sailed in light winds off Hyeres.

A tough contingent of Australians will meet a brilliant but lone majority New Zealand crew for the ANZAC long weekend running of stage two of the TP52 Southern Cross Cup at Sandringham Yacht Club, April 26-28. Australian and New Zealand comrades will be honoured this coming ANZAC Day for fighting side-by-side, a tradition which began on the bloody shores of Gallipoli during WWI. In keeping with the modern day rivalry between the two great sporting nations eight TP52s will square off on the waters of Port Phillip in Victoria the following day to begin the quest for the series’ perpetual trophy.

Royal Akarana Yacht Club (RAYC) is proud to announce the 2014 Sail Fiji offshore yacht race with confirmed 2014 dates for the classic Auckland to Fiji ocean race and passage cruise rally.The Cruising Rally will start from Monday the second of June 2014 and the Premier Race will start on Saturday the 7th of June 2014.

Recent crew changes haven't stopped the steam train that is the NZ Blind Sailing Worlds Team, deep in preparation with just one training camp left before the 2013 IFDS Blind Fleet Racing World and International Championships next month.