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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.

MRX Fleet Update January 2013 We have a busy three months coming up for the MRX Fleet. Along with our regular harbour, sprint and rum racing we have:

I have just finished competing in the 2013 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland regatta, held out of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club. This year in the Laser fleet we had some great international competition with sailors from Australia, Ireland, Holland, Korea and Sweden all coming over to Auckland to race. Day one and two of the regatta were similar with 12-20 knot winds from the North East. After the six races held over the first two days, Ash Brunning (AUS) was leading by two points over myself in second place. Having not yet finished outside the top three in a race, I was sailing well but Ash too was on top of his game.

Palma de Mallorca, 5 February 2013.- The 44th edition of the Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia Mapfre for Olympic classes, the first European ISAF Sailing World Cup stop, will include Kiteboarding as invited class. The kites will sail for the very first time in the most international regatta held in Spain, sharing the racing area in the bay of Palma de Mallorca with the Olympic classes from 30th March to 6th April.

Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron sailor Jordan Reece has sailed back into calculations in the Hardy Cup on Sydney Harbour with four wins from four flights on a day of restricted sailing in light winds. Reece, who is competing as the Estate Master Sailing Team powered by Etihad Airways, was the top helmsman today in an unfinished second round-robin in the Under 21 ISAF Grade 3 match racing regatta.

Over the summer school holidays the Otago Yachting Association (OYA) ran a very successful Breakaway Sailing Programme over a period of four weeks. The programme ran one week prior to Christmas then recommenced for three weeks in January starting on the 7th January.

Three young sailors from three different yacht clubs in New South Wales and Tasmania today combined to gain an impressive early lead on day one of the prestigious Hardy Cup Under 25 ISAF Grade 3 match racing regatta on Sydney Harbour.

It has been another busy start to the season for our Sailing... Have a Go! programme. During term four 2012, 1475 students took part in the programme with more than 70% expressing an interest in learning to sail.

On Friday 25 January the Port Chalmers Yacht Club was host to the launching of a recently completed yacht by member Rob Wood. Rob has just wrapped up the build of his new yacht “Te Waka” a 650 Leech Carbon Fibre Sportsboat. Te Waka is the first new build launch at the club in recent years and quite a large turnout of members and friends came to witness the launching after a traditional Maori blessing conducted by local Kaumatua, Noi Hudson.

Local Dunedin brothers, Jake (25) and Ben Hawker (22) from the Macandrew Bay Boating Club, have for the first time up lifted the Sunburst National Champion title by an all Dunedin crew and boat. The Sunburst National Championships were sailed on the Otago Habour from the Port Chalmers Yacht Club during January, 18th to 21st January 2013. Conditions for the regatta provided a good test for all the 30 registered boats for the event.

Oceanbridge Sail Auckland 2013 came to a roaring conclusion, with strong winds again pushing the sailors to their physical limits on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour. All fifteen fleets sailed their final races on Tuesday February 5th in winds that gusted up to 30 knots. As anticipated, the only females entered in the 470 fleet, Olympic Gold Medallists Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie won the regatta with a margin of twelve points.

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 February 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.

Emirates Team New Zealand today unveiled its second AC72 with a low-key ceremony at the team’s Viaduct Harbour, Auckland, base. Barely six months after the team’s first AC72 catamaran started testing the second boat was ready for the water, another significant milestone accomplished as the team prepares for its challenge for the 34th America’s Cup.

The new summer regatta at Port Ohope Yacht Club really hit the ground running and hosted a great fleet of over 30 centre boarder’s competing in light winds and warm temperatures. A large contingent travelled from Gisborne and Wairoa as part of a closer relationship between the three clubs in supporting each other’s club regattas. The fleet comprising lasers, optimists, firebugs, toppers, sunbursts, and even the newly purchased IA Class of Bruce Kenyon from Wairoa looking very flash with it’s all vanish hull.

Conditions on Auckland harbour were less than obliging for the competitors on day three of Oceanbridge Sail Auckland, allowing only six of the fifteen classes to get on the water. Three races were sailed by the Lasers, Laser Radials, 470, 420, Finn, while the kiteboards sailed four in winds of 20 knots gusting to 30.

Auckland's Anniversary Regatta on 28 January gave everything a sailor could want: A clean easterly breeze that provided plenty of speed for most of the course. A sea with just enough chop to keep it interesting. And a diverse and interesting fleet to race against.

This salty blog was penned for us by Carl Reinsfield of Pterodactyl (Birdsall 39). Below he tells his tale of the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club’s Tauranga to Whitianga 2013 sailed Saturday 26th January. Or you could just check out the video.

The Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy is selling its 2006 Aquapro 510 fibreglass RIBThe Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy is selling its 2006 Aquapro 510 fibreglass RIB to fund the purchase of new Optimist dinghies for new club 'learn to race' and 'green fleet' sailors. If you or your club might be interested please check out the TradeMe auction which closes Thursday 14 Feb 2013. Enquiries to Stuart Pedersen, Chairman, BoPSAT, ph 021 878882. to fund the purchase of new Optimist dinghies for new club 'learn to race' and 'green fleet' sailors.