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While some of New Zealand’s best Access Liberty and SKUD 18 class sailors were in the thick of intense racing at Oceanbridge Sail Auckland, a group of Access 303 sailors were racing in a slightly lower key event: the Waitara Boating Club’s Annual Regatta.

Sailability Taranaki has finally taken delivery of four of their very own sailboats, and a new coach boat to kick their programme full speed ahead. Thanks to funding from the TET Electricity Trust (two Access 303’s) TSB Community Trust (two Access 303’s), Methanex (Coach Boat) and Regal Transport (who delivered the boats), Sailability Taranaki is now able to fully operate on their own feet.

Upwind Slalom Drill This Drill is designed to enforce lane holding upwind. With an offset mark to the left then right upwind, it replicates 3 shifts on the upwind. A starboard lift of the start, then tack on the first knock. Carry the port lift to the starboard layline. Sailors must hold their lane off the start line and not tack off or they will miss the first mark.

FMJ were selected to compete in the Red Bull Youth America's Cup selection Series late last year and since then the boys having been working hard in the gym and out on the water! The team arrived well prepared but not sure what to expect in regards to power, speed etc. I can tell you the team was pleasantly surprised how rewarding and exciting these cats are to sail! In saying that you have to remember that in San Francisco it is the middle of winter and a lot of warm clothes/wetsuits were needed!

Work a Side Drill This drill is designed to reduce the sailor’s options and focus their attention on a narrow part of the course. Set 3 start lines and 3 top marks. The group is then split into equal size fleets for the 3 start lines. The start line determines which mark you must sail to.

Manly Sailing Club created a festival of windsurfing. Tricky conditions again greeted the windsurf sailors for the last two days of their regattas. Ten international sailors brought variety to all the fleets. A shifty settling south westerly had the sailors searching for any puffs they could get planning in. Those with keen eyes managed to get into them and plane upwind and make even bigger gain in the downwinds.

While Yachting New Zealand’s entry to the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, known as the NZL Sailing Team with Emirates Team New Zealand, has automatic entry to the San Francisco Regatta in September, a number of other teams are currently doing their best to prove they can handle an AC45 and deserve a start in September also. Teams without the backing of an existing America’s Cup World Series team have been invited to San Francisco for a Selection Series being held in two stages, and two further New Zealand teams are in the hunt hopeful of earning themselves a start in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup this September – FMJ Racing (helmed by Will Tiller) and 36 Below Racing (helmed by Chris Steele).

2013 is well underway and it’s great to hear all the news and results coming in from all the National Championships and other regattas on around the country at this time of year, and a few summer cruising tales too. There is plenty going on for the entire Yachting New Zealand team as we plan for the year ahead, and beyond, so here is an update for you.

Here’s a look at the up-coming sailing related events around the country for the next couple of weeks. See the YNZ on-line calendar for full details of these events and those on later in March and beyond. Are you organising an event you would like to see included? Don’t miss out on some free promotion for your sailing events by adding them to the YNZ on-line calendar here.

Fourteen teams of talented youth sailors from around the world are descending on the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron for this week’s HARKEN Youth International Match Racing Championships. Teams from Sweden, Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand are getting ready to do battle on the Waitemata Harbour for the illustrious HARKEN Cup.

Jack Simpson and Markus Somerville have been selected to represent New Zealand in the 29er skiff at the 2013 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships on from 13-20 July in Limmasol, Cyprus. This will be Jack’s second Youth Worlds Regatta having helmed New Zealand’s 29er entry in Zadar, Croatia in 2011; this year he is crew with Markus Somerville at the helm.

The sixth Auckland Regatta is on from 22 – 24 March 2013 - ditch the cruising gear and get ready to race! What is it that makes Auckland Regatta great? Most importantly, it is an event for sailors, designed by sailors, and it gets better every year. For 2013, we are hosting the Pacific Keelboat Challenge, and four separate national championship events, for Open Multihulls, 8.5 Multihulls, Farr 1020s, and Elliott 5.9s. All up, there will be 14 racing divisions and one cruising division.

Richmond Yacht Club’s Route 66 coastal race from Auckland to Whangarei is organised in association with Onerahi Yacht Club and SSANZ. With a 9am start on Friday 8th March you’ll finish Friday evening with time to join in the party at Marsden Cove Marina.

Two New Zealanders were recently recognised by sailing’s international body with ISAF Long Service Medals - Ralph Roberts was awarded an ISAF Gold Medal, and Jack Lloyd was awarded an ISAF Silver Medal.

This week there was some fantastic news presented to a talented group of young New Zealanders, regarding a sailing opportunity to participate at a world stage event. The Red Bull Youth America’s Cup (RBYAC), which is the under 25 restricted age group preliminary to the big show (THE America’s Cup 2013 in San Francisco this coming Northern Summer), is something most young sailors around the world have been dreaming of attending. A pathway towards being a part of that exciting event has opened up for 36 Below Racing. 36 Below Racing is a new team of young sailors formed to pursue success on the World Match Racing circuit and other sailing competitions.

Two-time Olympic medallist Bruce Kendall has been officially recognised with a place in the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. The announcement and presentation was made at the 2013 Halberg Sports Awards held at the Vector Arena in Auckland, where Kendall was named, alongside Jeff Wilson (former New Zealand cricketer and All Black) as the latest to join the illustrious Hall of Fame.

The RORC Rating Office is offering New Zealand boat owners an end of season discount on 2012 IRC certificates to the tune of 50% off for new applications and revalidations. The expiry of all 2012 IRC certificates in New Zealand is 31 May which means this end of season discount would suit boat owners wishing to race IRC at Auckland Regatta on from 22 -25 March 2013.

This application from Westpac Mussel Distributors Ltd is for a large (125ha) mussel farm on the Western side of Stephenson Island (Whangaroa). YNZ’s concerns are its effect on navigation and anchorage, both for recreation and refuge. Consent has been granted for the farm. The hearing commissioners said there were some minor, or possibly more than minor, adverse effects requiring mitigation and that could only be achieved by modifying Westpac Mussel’s proposal.

Kiwi Ability was the first event of its kind in New Zealand, being a regatta for sailors with Intellectual disabilities, Acquired Brain Injury, and on the Autism Spectrum. Twelve sailors in two person crews entered to compete across the two divisions (supported and fully ID/ABI/AS) in Access 303 dinghies. The organizers were thrilled to welcome entries from 2 Australian Special Olympic teams – Alister and Alyse, Mary and Melissa.

Plan Change 4 to the Regional Coastal Plan for Northland sets out the new way aquaculture will be managed in Northland. It includes policies and rules for: • managing existing aquaculture, • directing how and where new aquaculture is located

The Elliott 5.9 Association give us their most recent updates on happenings in the class including updates on the upcoming National Championships and AGM, Boats for Sale, the 2013 Travellers series, association hats, stickers and much more

Two New Zealand crews were across the ditch recently for the NACRA Infusion World Championships and the Australian F18 National Championships for 2013, Both were mixed crews - Brett Sellers sailing with Vicky Francis who were top performing mixed crew in both regattas, and Miranda Powrie with Tomer Simhony who also raced two strong regattas.

Nelson Yacht Club recently played host to fourteen Flying Fifteens racing for the 2013 Flying Fifteen National title. Aaron Goodmanson and Alistar Rowlands sailing FFortune secured 9th National Championship. The Championship was decided after seven races were sailed – competition at the top was tight and just one point separated first and second place.

Emirates Team New Zealand took its second AC72 catamaran sailing for the first time today. It was a much-anticipated day, another step on the way to the 34th America’s Cup competition at San Francisco.

There are hundreds of sailing events on the annual calendar of yachting for Auckland, but only one is focused on three days of intensive racing, culminating in prestigious amateur titles for its victors. That is the Auckland Regatta, to take place from 22-24 March 2013. Now in its sixth year, the Auckland Regatta is hosting not only the Pacific Keelboat Challenge, but also four national championship events, and approximately 14 different divisions.

The Auckland boats are packed back in containers and due to be back on dry land this weekend, the 50th Anniversary Flying Fifteen National Championships have been sailed, the 50th Reunion has been celebrated and we are well planned and waiting to go to the next competition…..

And so another successful Bay Regatta was enjoyed by all in the beautiful Bay of Islands. Seventy boats registered and seventy crews just had too much fun........A big thank you to the competitors from the Committee, the Sponsors and the Volunteers. The racing was pretty darned good with two days of light to medium strength winds – then 20-25 knot winds on day three – yep – ‘gusting to 30’ as registered by one of the boats.

Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron member David Chapman today deservedly won the prestigious Under 25 ISAF Grade 3 match racing regatta on Sydney Harbour at his fifth and final attempt. He will be outside the age limit next year….”what a way to sail your final Hardy Cup,” an excited Chapman said after a final day of incredibly close match racing in the Squadron’s fleet of Elliott 6 sports boats.

The group of talented young sailors selected to represent New Zealand and have the opportunity to be crowned Youth America's Cup Champions at the inaugural Red Bull Youth America's Cup in San Francisco this September has been confirmed. The support of Emirates Team New Zealand provides this entry to the 2013 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, submitted by Yachting New Zealand, automatic entry to the September regatta, and the team will be known as the NZL Sailing Team with Emirates Team New Zealand.

The major regatta of the New Zealand classic sailing calendar commences on Friday. Up to sixty boats, all classics and modern classics, have entered, and anticipate serious racing, excellent shoreside racing, and the chance of claiming a Pacific Island holiday prize that is almost as glamorous as the boats themselves.

Photo:  Raoul de Ferranti.

New Zealander Chris Steele hit his straps on day three of the Hardy Cup Under 25 match racing regatta on Sydney Harbour today, unbeaten after five flights of an unfinished third round-robin.