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Our four NZCT regional development managers bring you the latest from their areas, including an update on the 100th edition of the coveted Sanders Cup.
The Sanders Cup (right) and the Kingham Trophy.
100th Sanders Cup: Hopes for Javelin revival
Organisers of the contest for the oldest sailing trophy in New Zealand are hopeful its centenary will see a revival in the competition known as the "Ranfurly Shield of sailing".
The 100th edition of the Sanders Cup, the longest-running continuously held senior interprovincial challenge, will this year be hosted by Gisborne Yacht Club over Anzac weekend (April 25-28).
Since the inaugural races in 1921, the Sanders Cup has been sailed for every year except for 1942-1945, and to mark the special milestone the event will be combined with the open New Zealand Javelin Skiff national championships.
The Javelin nationals will be scored separately, allowing boats of the current Sanders Cup class to all be out on the water together.
"As the oldest trophy sailed for in New Zealand under its original inception, and the only remaining senior interprovincial challenge competition still sailed for today, the Sanders Cup holds a special place in New Zealand yachting history," Javelin Class Owners Association president Craig Gilberd said.
Regional associations are invited to name their representatives to compete in the 14 foot double-handed skiff, with challengers from Northland, North Harbour, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Manawatū and Wellington already having expressed their intention to compete.
Organisers are hoping for a repeat of last year's dramatic finish, when East Coast son-and-father sailing team of Ross and Colin Shanks claimed the coveted cup after countback of a three-way tie in Rotoiti.
The Javelin nationals will run alongside the 100th Sanders Cup next month.
Charter boats could be available for regions where there are no active Javelin skiffs, and supporters and spectators are invited to join the fleet for the celebrations around this historic event, Gilberd said.
"A special invitation is extended to any previous winners, competitors and supporters to come and celebrate this anniversary.
"The Sanders Cup is the Ranfurly Shield of sailing but the Javelin class has been struggling in recent years as it's not a boat you can buy off the shelves. We're really hoping for a good turnout this year - with around 10 boats at the nationals."
The trophy was donated in 1921 and was dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant-Commander William E. Sanders from Devonport who served in the First World War with the Royal Naval Reserve.
Sailors will also be competing for the impressive Kingham Trophy - awarded to the winner of the invitation race sailed before the Sanders Cup.
The race is open to all 14-foot yachts of the designs eligible to compete in the Sanders Cup.
Click here for the notice of race and contact Colin Shanks at shanksy@gisborne.net.nz for more information.
Register now for upcoming coach courses
As the summer sailing season slowly draws to a close, now is the time to start thinking about upskilling this winter, says Yachting New Zealand coach development manager Kirsten Moratz.
Moratz is again overseeing a series of coaching courses, workshops, forums and conferences across the country during the winter - with several convenient online options also available.
Courses typically run in August, September, and October, during summer holidays, and after the Term 1 school holidays.
More information and registration links can be found on Yachting New Zealand's Embark platform, by clicking here or contacting Moratz at kirsten@yachtingnz.org.nz.
The Elliott 5.9 season is ramping up with the national championships only days away.
Elliott 5.9 nationals head north
The 2024 Elliott 5.9 season is ramping up with the Burnsco 2024 Elliott 5.9 national championships to be hosted by Onerahi Yacht Club at Marsden Cove from March 14 to 16.
This will then be followed by the Burnsco 2024 Traveller Series.
The nationals at Marsden Cove are not completely new to the Elliott 5.9 fleet - it has been a regular stop on the highly successful Traveller Series over several years and provides great open-water sailing on Bream Bay.
Another strong fleet is expected - with boats from as far away as Napier to take on a strong contingent of Auckland and Far North-based boats.
Based on last year's form, 2023 national and Traveller Series champion Shapeshifter (Nick Bastow) is expected to again be the benchmark, with eight-time champion R+R (Craig Satterthwaite) looking to reclaim the title.
Perennial runners-up Slam Dunk (Stu Clake) will again be in action, while Order 66 (Jack Carter), Zoot Allures (Dave Cochran) and Hobo the Butcher (Rob Ward) also worth keeping an eye on - the latter two having home-water advantage.
For more information, click here.
Unfavourable conditions impacted the Tornado and Hobie 16 national championships at Clarks Beach Yacht Club. Photo / Zane Shackleton
Weather can't spoil fun for Tornados, Hobie 16s
The weather had the last laugh at the 2024 NZ Tornado and Hobie 16 national championships hosted by Clarks Beach Yacht Club - with no racing possible on the final two days.
A handful of races were completed Friday afternoon, however, with Bill Caunce and Tom Maidment claiming the overall victory in the Tornado class with a win, two seconds and a fourth over the day’s four races.
The pair pipped Tom Wain and Lindsay Hayward in second, followed by Jason Marra and Brendon Duske.
The highlight of the day's racing was race two, where all seven boats crossed the finish mark within 25 seconds of each other - winners Wain and Hayward beating Winston Ordish-Benner and Pierre Harrison by only three seconds.
Meanwhile, four boats made up the small, yet keenly contested Hobie 16 class, with Zane Bloomfield and Jason Doherty winning two of the day’s three races to clinch overall honours.
They finished a point ahead of father-daughter crew Peter Rhodes and Kristen Rhodes-Hasler.
Third, with two seconds and a third-place finish, was Dillon Browne and Teau McKenzie.
Josh Hyde and his Waitemata Racing team are hot favourites for the Youth International Match Racing Cup.
New fleet to hit the water this weekend
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s brand-new fleet of Elliott 7’s are set to hit the water for their inaugural regatta this weekend when nine teams race for the Youth International Match Racing Cup.
Launched last week, the fleet was proudly donated by Emirates Team New Zealand and will be used for major regattas, the RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme, Women’s Racing and club events.
The Youth International Match Racing Cup is a stalwart event on the RNZYS calendar, with the first event taking place back in 1987. It was considered the “world championship” of youth match racing before World Sailing sanctioned the event to become a category 3 match racing ranking regatta.
Josh Hyde and his Waitemata Racing team of Jack Manning, Zach Fong, Cody Coughlan and Luis Schnieder are hot favourites heading in the regatta, fresh from their Hardy Cup win at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron in February.
As the defending champions of the Youth International Match Racing Cup, all eyes will be on Hyde and his team.
“Going off the back of the last regatta we are trying to follow-through with all the systems and processes we have developed from those events and making sure we stick to our plan," Hyde said.
"The team has been together for four years now and we work together pretty well. It’s second nature when we sail together - our team dynamics just work!”
Australia and New Zealand will be represented at the event with Xavier McLaughlin from RSYS ranked as the top international team.
Mastercard Youth Training Programme sailor Ella Arnold is at the helm of the all-female team of Alissa Marshall, Anika Pennifold, Phoebe Buckland and Sophie-Jo Hawkins.
This regatta will also see some newcomers to an internationally ranked match racing regatta, including Ethan Fong, who this season is on the helm after being a trimmer last year.
Follow the action here.
Isaac Gaites won the North Harbour Starling match racing trials last weekend. Photo / Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Young Gaites on top in match racing trials
Murrays Bay Sailing Club hosted the North Harbour Starling match racing trials last weekend - with seven sailors competing in tight racing.
Local sailor Issac Gaites won the trials, with Wakatere Boating Club's Jack Craddock second, and Nate Soper (also from MBSC) third.
Gaites will now race against the best from other regions across the country at the 2024 Starling Match Racing national championships next month.
Over 170 sailors competed at last month's Junior Sail Auckland. Photo / Kohimarama Yacht Club
Big numbers for Junior Sail Auckland
Kohimarama Yacht Club welcomed over 170 sailors in 10 different for the 2024 Junior Sail Auckland last month.
Winners include:
- Matteo Barker, Greta Hutton (Optimist open)
- Mia Meikle (Optimist white)
- George Abbott, Annika Wells (Optimist green)
- Isaac Gaites and Amelia Higson (Starling open)
- Sienna Meikle (Starling development)
- Will Leech and Sean Kensington, Anna Waymouth and Marcus Hilder, and Madi Russell and Kate Rasmussen (29er)
- Liam Dimock and Chloe Turner (ILCA 6)
- Zenon Nicholas and Charlie Sorrell, Anna Dold and Lola-Jean Hutchens (RS Feva).
Click here for full results.
Tom Peters and Joshua Dixon held off a strong challenge from two all-female crews to win the RS Feva Traveller Series at Bucklands Beach.
RAYC pair perfect as SailGP Feva hits
Tom Peters and Joshua Dixon held off a strong challenge from two all-female crews to win the RS Feva Traveller Series event at Bucklands Beach Yacht Club last week.
The Royal Akarana Yacht Club duo sailed a flawless regatta - winning seven from seven races - to finish ahead of Anna Dold and Lola-Jean Hutchens (RAYC) in second, and sisters Holly and Stella Robson (Maraetai Sailing Club) third.
The series next moves to Northcote Birkenhead Yacht Club on March 16 and 17, before the class national championships at Maraetai from April 12 to 15.
Full results here.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand RS Feva Association has named 50 sailors to participate in the 2024 NZ SailGP Inspire Feva programme.
They are:
- Rosa Borsboom and Luke Thompson (Mount Pleasant Yacht Club)
- Thomas Jurczyluk and Oli Wyet (Wanaka Yacht Club)
- Anna Dold and Lola-Jean Hutchens (Royal Akarana Yacht Club)
- James Martin and Sam Cathie (Muritai Yacht Club)
- Dan Russell and Joel Gemmel (Wanaka Yacht Club)
- Matthew Jurczylyk and Kate Russell (Wanaka Yacht Club)
- Tom Peter and Josh Dixon (Royal Akarana Yacht Club)
- Oak Iskerwood and Cameron Miller (Mount Pleasant Sea Scouts)
- Harry Jameson and Lochie Faulknor (Napier Sailing Club)
- Ben Catton and Caleb Perano (Charteris Bay Yacht Club)
- Brooke Mundy and Lucy Fillary (Nelson Yacht Club)
- Mabel North and Madison Smith (Wanaka Yacht Club)
- Sam Turner and Harry Milner (Nelson Yacht Club)
- Hunter Royds and Logan Hanlon (Nelson Yacht Club)
- Amy Viles (Naval Point Club Lyttelton) and Benji French (Christchurch Yacht Club)
- George Bary and Logan McFarlane (Ravensbourne Youth Yachting Trust)
- Hamish Newman and Willam Davies (Queen Charlotte Yacht Club)
- Olivia Low and Ellie Burton (Nelson Yacht Club)
- Paul Bertoli and James Lynch (Macandrew Bay Boating Club)
- Oak Galbraith and Noa Salonius (Christchurch Yacht Club)
- Abigale Middleton and Chihiro Smithies (Macandrew Bay Boating Club)
- Mateo Machado and Matthew Hammond (Macandrew Bay Boating Club)
- Sam Foster and Hunter Imrie (Waimakariri Sailing Club)
- Max Cutfield and James Bary (Ravensbourne Youth Yachting Trust)
- Zenon Nicholas and Charlie Sorrell (Wakatere Boating Club)
Sam Street added the Hartley 16 national title to his Waszp world crowns.
Street adds Hartley 16 title to Waszp world crowns
Multiple Waszp world champion Sam Street last month swapped the one-design foiler for something a bit bigger - and took out the title at the Hartley 16 national championships hosted by Waiuku Yacht Club.
Street, who in December made history by winning back-to-back Waszp Games titles in Sorrento, teamed up Alex Mitchell-Barker aboard Splash, claiming the crown by one point from fellow New Plymouth Yacht Club members Jason Holdt (Shaking Laundry) and Wayne Holdt (Panache) after taking out three of the nine races.
Full results here.
The Hansa 303 national championships were held at Lake Rotoiti. Photo / NZ Hansa Class Association
Hansa 303 nationals: Smith, Maxwell and Ritchie on top
Darrell Smith has been crowned the Hansa 303 singles and Kiwi Cup winner after pipping Titahi Bay Boating Club teammate Graham Hook by one point in the national championships hosted on Lake Rotoiti by the Bay of Plenty Trailer Yacht Squadron and Sailability Rotorua late last month.
Kerehi Maxwell and Rhonda Ritchie (Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club) won the Hansa 303 doubles title by two points from Rob Aislabie and Robin Horder (Rotorua Yacht Club).
Click here for full results.
Whistler Racing claims Ross Telford Trophy
Whistler Racing won the Ross Telford Trophy at the Port Nicholson Regatta hosted by Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club. The boat cleaned up Division A with a second place on line honours, first on PHRF and first on general handicap.
Line honours in Division A went to St Laurence.
In the smaller fleet for Division B, 88% Proof won on line and general handicap, while Saucy Sausage won on PHRF.
Full results are available here.
The 14th Interislander Optimist Challenge and Port Marlborough Starling championships took place in Picton. Photo / Queen Charlotte Yacht Club
North trumps South in Interislander contest
Queen Charlotte Yacht Club played host to 140 sailors from all over New Zealand for the 14th Interislander Optimist Challenge and Port Marlborough Starling Champs.
This event provided a platform for our junior and youth sailors to come together, fostering camaraderie and showcasing their competitive spirit.
The North Island clinched the Island of Origin Challenger Trophy in the Optimist class with Matteo Barker (MBSC) finishing first overall and Greta Hutton (MBSC) first female in the open fleet.
Plimmerton Boating Club's Jack Olson and Lucy Luxford (Charteris Bay Yacht Club) claimed the honours in the Starling fleet.
Full results here.
The Flying Fifteen nationals were held in Wanaka. Photo / Quentin Smith
Flying Fifteen history for Sally Garrett
Sally Garrett made New Zealand history in February by becoming the first female helm to win the Flying Fifteen national title.
Garrett and partner Neil Easton claimed victory in Godffather at Lake Wānaka holding off a strong challenge from four-time national champs Murray Gilbert and Jon Burgess (Ffrenetic).
In another first, third place went to Ffortune sailed by Jenny Price and Alana Pooley - the first ever all-female crew in the top three.
Full results here.
