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Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox claimed another 470 national title at the weekend but a couple of big scores in the middle of their regatta cost them the chance to win the regatta overall.
There was a good reason for that. The pair didn't compete in two races because they went to a wedding, meaning they ended up two points behind the Israeli combination of Maor Abu and Yoav Rooz, but the fact they won eight of the 10 races they contested was more illustrative of their form.
Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan, who are mixing both 29er and 470 sailing, were third, edging Susannah Pyatt and Brianna Reynolds-Smith on countback. Pyatt and Reynolds-Smith were the first female combination.
"Paul and Dan had a really good hitout at the nationals," said Geoff Woolley, who coaches the pair and is also Yachting New Zealand talent development manager. "It was great to have the Israelis here for the last month. The boys have been putting in a lot of time in training trying to sharpen up, with a focus on wind and waves when they can find them."
It's seen the group head to New Plymouth to train in the hope of find waves similar to what they can expect in Enoshima during the Olympics. Sam Street, who raced with Alice Haslett at the national championships in a mixed combination, has joined them for the week.
Street and Haslett, along with the likes of Menzies and McGlashan, impressed at times during the national championships, sometimes rounding the top mark ahead of their more fancied rivals.
"There was some really close racing," Woolley said. "Some of the other teams had some really good moments but just couldn't put a whole race together. You could see the improvements as the regatta went on and it should help their sailing no matter what they do."
The 420 Auckland championships were run alongside the 470 nationals, with Mason Mulcahy and Andre van Dam continuing to impress. The pair won all six races to finish 12 points ahead of Japan's Yuto Fujimura and Takuto Fujimur.
It was very tight for the minor placings, with only three points separating second and fifth.
Amelia Angus and Rebecca Hume were the first female combination, and fourth overall, finishing one point ahead of Kierra Sinton and Leah Sinton, who are fresh from a third placing at the 420 Australian national championships.
The next major competition for this country's top 470 sailors will be next month's 470 world championships in Palma.
Results and standings from the 470 national championships at Murrays Bay Sailing Club:
1st: Maor Abu / Yoav Rooz (ISR) 1 1 2 2 2 (6) 3 1 3 2 2 2 - 21 points
2nd: Paul Snow-Hansen / Dan Willcox (NZL) 2 4 1 1 1 1 (9 DNC) 9 DNC 1 1 1 1 - 23 pts
3rd: Seb Menzies / Blake McGlashan (NZL) 4 (5) 4 3 4 3 1 3 2 4 4 5 - 37 pts
4th: Susannah Pyatt / Brianna Reynolds-Smith (NZL) 3 2 (6) 4 3 5 4 2 4 3 3 4 - 37 pts
5th: Alice Haslett / Sam Street (NZL) (7) 6 5 6 6 4 5 5 5 5 5 3 - 55 pts
Results and standings from the 420 Auckland championships at the Murrays Bay Sailing Club:
1st: Mason Mulcahy / Andre Van Dam (NZL) (1) 1 1 1 1 1 - 5 pts
2nd: Yuto Fujimura / Takuto Fujimura (JPN) 3 8 2 (9 UFD) 2 2 - 17 pts
3rd: Lucas Day / Cam McGlashan (NZL) 2 6 3 3 (7) 4 - 18 pts
4th: Amelia Angus / Rebecca Hume (NZL) (8) 2 4 5 3 5 - 19 pts
5th: Kierra Sinton / Leah Sinton (NZL) 5 3 (8) 2 4 6 - 20 pts
