News

The NZL Sailing Team is getting set for more action with the final regatta of the 2012-13 ISAF Sailing World Cup Series about to get underway in Hyeres, France. The kiwis will join over 800 of the world’s best Olympic and Paralympic sailors to do battle on the water next week. Racing at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres will take place on the ‘Rade de Hyeres’ starting on Monday 22nd April and running over six days with the medals decided on Saturday 27th April.

Eleven local Queen Charlotte Yacht Club sailors make up the nearly 100 strong Starling Class Open fleet on Queen Charlotte Sound starting Monday April 22nd through to Friday 26th. 12 races are scheduled with a late start to honour Anzac Day.

ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyères will bring the 2012-2013 World Cup series to a close with over 800 of the world’s top sailors across ten Olympic and two Paralympic events ready for action. Touching down in Australia, USA, Spain and finally Hyères, France from 22-27 April the 2012-13 series has welcomed sailors campaigning for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition to set an early marker at the beginning of a new quadrennial.

Nine sailors have been named in the 2013 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team to represent New Zealand at the prestigious ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships. Limmasol, Cyprus will play host to this year’s regatta which gathers together national teams from around the world and runs from 13-20 July 2013.

Hosted once again by Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, an encouragingly increased number of nine Townson 32s entered for this year’s Championships together with seven Townsons for the Regatta on Saturday 13 April. Saturday dawned bright and clear with heavy dew and glassy calm and forecast 23 degrees. No wind of any significance was reported anywhere. Both fleets congregated at the entrance to the Tamaki River, bobbed around to the Waitemata slop from box boats and ferries and all hurried up and did nothing all day until Peter Stewart, the Race Officer gave up and called it quits for the day at 1400.

Brothers Sean Herbert (11 years old) and Liam Herbert (13 years old) from Manly Sailing Club went across to Perth, WA during the Easter weekend to compete in the 4th Australian O'pen Bic Nationals.

Taking the Girl’s 420 spot on the NZL Sailing Team are Napier sailors 17 year old Olivia Mackay and 15 year old Abi Goodwin. Placing second overall in the 420 at 2013 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland, and top girls, Olivia and Abi were in good shape for the selection in February, but left everyone in no doubt when they beat the boys and took the Open 420 National Championship for 2013 at the regatta sailed in gorgeous conditions off Takapuna at Easter.

The calibre of the owner drivers in the 2013 Young 88 fleet is enough to put the heat on the most seasoned professionals. Members of Emirates Team New Zealand have entered several times and prevailed over the last few years but this year the cat is amongst the pigeons and their desire for a serious one design competition has been foiled by other commitments.