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Sean Kensington says the significance of being awarded the Sir Peter Blake Regatta’s most prestigious trophy didn’t really sink in until after the event.
A focal point of the regatta, the Sir Peter Blake memorial trophy goes to the most outstanding sailor, with past recipients having progressed to international and Olympic success.
This year Sean won the 29er division with his brother Rowan, showing consistency, skill and sportsmanship over two days racing at the event hosted by Torbay Sailing Club from 3-4 December.
Recognition with the trophy comes on the back of a very successful four years for Sean, who has won the Optimist Nationals in 2020, the P-Class Tauranga Cup in 2019 and 2021, and the Starling Nationals in 2022.
Peter Montgomery, Sean Kensington, and 2020 Sir Peter Blake Memorial Trophy recipient George Lee Rush. Photo: Georgia Schofield // LiveSailDie
“I didn’t really think about it at the time, it was a bit of a surprise. On reflection it’s awesome to have our names on the trophy,” he says.
The 15-year old from Kohimarama Yacht Club says boat speed was a huge focus for them during the build-up to the event, and their boat handling paid off especially during day two.
“There were lots of shifts on the second day, and we felt that by having a clean start and good boat speed it helped us get around the trickier shifts,” he says.
Georgia Schofield // LiveSailDie
Other key trophy winners included John Olds for the Peter Montgomery Trophy, recognizing an outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing, and Green fleet sailor Elias Dunne for the David Barnes Trophy, recognising determination and courage throughout the regatta.
Georgia Schofield // LiveSailDie
Georgia Schofield // LiveSailDie
The regatta has become touted as the biggest small-boat regatta in the Southern Hemisphere, and this year saw over 360 sailors compete on the waters off Waiake Beach.
"It's always the fun regatta of the year, everyone looks forward to it and there's a nice vibe," says Sean.
The overriding objective of the regatta is to have fun, with the ethos of the original concept being to honour the memory of Sir Peter Blake, and inspire children to be involved in the sport for life.
Caring for the sea, adventuring and exploring are key themes which the regatta also embodies.
Georgia Schofield // LiveSailDie
This year the sailors were treated a visit from ETNZ and the America’s Cup which did the rounds of club tents, along with two-time Olympic medallist Jo Aleh, and sailing commentator Peter Montgomery who presented the trophies at prizegiving.
When asked if he had any advice for sailors coming up through the Green Fleet, Sean says the main thing is to have fun, and spend as much time on the water as possible.
“You’ve got to enjoy it. If you’re enjoying it, you’ll want to sail more. And when you sail more you tend to do better. It’s also important to find a boat you like to sail,” he says.
Having key support members around you is also helpful, and Sean says his parents and coach Ian Neeley have been a big part of their 29er journey so far.
The next event on the calendar for the Kensington brothers is the Australian 29er Nationals in January.
Georgia Schofield // LiveSailDie
Previous winners of the Sir Peter Blake Memorial trophy have included Jo Aleh (2004), Peter Burling (2005) Sam Meech (2006), Nick Egnot Johnston (2012) and Sean Herbert (2016).
For full results from the Sir Peter Blake Regatta click HERE.
Images taken by Georgia Schofield // Live Sail Die can be found on the Regatta Facebook page HERE.
The Sir Peter Blake Regatta is held annually at Waiake Beach in Torbay. The 2022 edition was the first event to be run after two years of covid related postponements, and marked the 20thanniversary of the event. The regatta is traditionally held over the first weekend in December, close to the anniversary of Sir Peter Blake’s death. It’s a festival of sailing, and a celebration of the life of a great New Zealander with a great emphasis on his values, characteristics, and love for the ocean.
