Issue date
The ten afternoon race series designed by local Clubs with NZ IODA aims to deliver improved ‘on water time’ supplying 30-40 sprint races for experienced sailors. Having just completed a busy Summer Sailing season, expressions of interest and registration levels are high.
Optimist Sailors across NZ apparently fully recognise the need to prepare for the scheduled 2013 Timaru Optimist Nationals event in what is a different latitude NZ city. Many sailors now fully recognise the need to prepare for the challenges following experiences of New Plymouth 2012 Nationals varying between 4 knots on flat water to 29 knots on 2.5m swells.
The Winter Sprint series has been designed to give those going overseas in travelling teams an opportunity to competitively race train prior to departure and also other Optimist sailors the opportunity to keep their hand in over Winter while pitching their skills against the best.
The series has been designed with specific needs in mind:
1. To provide opportunity and balance:
- The event scheduled every second Saturday to allow Winter Sport opportunities and life balance.
- A rotation experience to broaden sailor skills across different waters between Yacht Clubs Kohimarama, Wakatere and Murrays Bay Sailing Club.
2. Increasing on water time. Two to four quick sprints per Saturday afternoon giving sailors opportunity to repeat value from the 75% of a race, being the Starts and First leg. Many Olympic sailors advise the key to success is maximising on water time.
3. Maximum opportunity for minimal cost. Sailors can select only the Regatta days local to their Clubs as time allows or elect to commute to fresh waters, broaden the experience and complete the full 10 day series giving 30-40 sprint races prior to Summer 2012/13.
4. It is expected Registration numbers will allow on water coaching and debriefing by some of NZ’s best available coaches.
Timaru Nationals 2013 will offer a breadth of sailing conditions and any sailor wanting to arrive well prepared requires a broad preparation programme. The Sprint event series aims to deliver this opportunity. The large contingent of sailors resident North of Taupo may travel two days to attend Timaru Nationals 2013. Sailor Sponsors will want their sailors to be able to meet what Timaru conditions may provide and to be able to give it their best. Each and every sailor will want to manage the given challenges to achieve their goal.
The Auckland based Sprint Series starts 5th May and continues to September 2012. The Regatta series starts initially at Kohimarama before the rotation schedule of three Clubs. NoR and SI’s are posted. The event targeted for Optimists can cater for other dinghy classes.
This season, several clubs put a lot of effort into training and developing this class throughout the country. Especially at Wakatere, Tauranga, Naval Point Club Lyttelton and also from smaller fleets from Manly, Murray's Bay and Kohimarama. Many race camps were held and the most recent included lunch at Rangitoto. Thanks to Anthea Dunning for organising the bulk of these. Also top coaches Grant Beck (NZ Olympic and top most awesome Techno Green Fleet Coach), world class RS:X sailor Kate Ellingham and NZL Sailing Team Coach, Dave Robertson. Also many thanks to the RS:X fleet who have turned up and supported the younger sailors were possible.
Internationally this year, seven sailors attend the Open Worlds in San Francisco and two sailors to, Lifou, New Caledonia. This winter 3 sailors will be attending Medemblik for the Techno Worlds in July and also up to 8 sailors attending the competitive New Caledonia Techno Nationals in Noumea in Oct/Nov. These teams will be training and fundraising over winter
