News

Infinity Racing are currently in Sweden, racing in the Lysekil Women’s Match, the final regatta of the Women’s International Match Racing Series. After a very impressive weigh in we had a day on the water to familiarise ourselves with the boats and our team.

This drill can be set up for a group or for sailors by themselves. For this drill there are 4 marks and 4 boats. Have a rolling countdown, every minute there is a start. Boats must start as close to the mark, as though the mark was the Committee Boat and they wanted to win the right hand side of the start.

This drill splits the fleet in 2, with half starting on the “front row” and half in the “second row”. The drill highlights the importance of getting a good start on the line rather than behind the fleet, effectively on a different lower start line.

Day two of the 2013 470 World Championships has drawn to a close with the qualifying rounds complete and both NZL Sailing Team crews are well placed as they carry forward their ranking to the finals rounds which kick off in La Rochelle, France tomorrow.

Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie have the early lead in the Women’s fleet at the 2013 470 World Championships while NZL Sailing Team team-mates Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox have also started strongly to hold 3rd in the Men’s.

Ports of Auckland has signed up as the new naming rights sponsor for the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta. “The Regatta, like the port, is as old as Auckland. The first Auckland Regatta was held on the day the city was founded in 1840, 11 years before the first America’s Cup race. We have a connection with the Regatta both through this history and the Waitematā harbour we share, which makes it the perfect event for us to support,” Chief Executive Tony Gibson said.

PIC Insurance Brokers takes Coastal Classic yacht race onboard An independent New Zealand insurance brokerage with strong connections to the marine industry is the Coastal Classic’s new major sponsor. The iconic race, which is recognised as one of the world’s ‘must do’ sailing events, will now be called the PIC Insurance Brokers Coastal Classic.

Alan Williams has been the GBR Optimist National Coach for over 10 years. His Optimist Handbook is a great read and reference for any Optimist sailor, coach or parent. The book covers all abilities from Basic Rigging and Boat Handling to Strategy, Goal Setting and Nutrition.

Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson from Auckland’s Wakatere Boating Club have won silver at the 2013 29er class World Championships just finished at Arhus, Denmark. Twenty-five nations representing all continents sailed at the 2013 29er World Championships with 213 entries (426 sailors) in a highly competitive fleet. The 29er is a two-handed skiff which is a pre-cursor class to the Olympic 49er skiff sailed by Peter Burling and Blair Tuke.