News

As you will have read in the last Inclusive Newsletter: David Barnes, Rick Dodson and Andrew May became the first kiwi Sonar team to compete at an ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta in more than ten years, earlier this month. Together they finished the regatta in 6th place overall, a significant feat.

Representing the RNZYS and the Royal Freshwater Yacht Club respectively, Scott Barnes and Sam Gilmour share the lead with 6 wins out of 7 races on day one of the HARKEN Youth International Match Racing Championships. Barnes, a skipper in the RNZYS Lion Foundation Youth Training Programme, lost his lead of 6 wins out of 6 races at the 11th hour - 7.12pm – during flight 9 of the day’s racing to fellow Kiwi Adam Middleton from the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club.

Work a Side Drill This drill is designed to reduce the sailor’s options and focus their attention on a narrow part of the course. Set 3 start lines and 3 top marks. The group is then split into equal size fleets for the 3 start lines. The start line determines which mark you must sail to.

Upwind Slalom Drill This Drill is designed to enforce lane holding upwind. With an offset mark to the left then right upwind, it replicates 3 shifts on the upwind. A starboard lift of the start, then tack on the first knock. Carry the port lift to the starboard layline. Sailors must hold their lane off the start line and not tack off or they will miss the first mark.

Manly Sailing Club created a festival of windsurfing. Tricky conditions again greeted the windsurf sailors for the last two days of their regattas. Ten international sailors brought variety to all the fleets. A shifty settling south westerly had the sailors searching for any puffs they could get planning in. Those with keen eyes managed to get into them and plane upwind and make even bigger gain in the downwinds.

FMJ were selected to compete in the Red Bull Youth America's Cup selection Series late last year and since then the boys having been working hard in the gym and out on the water! The team arrived well prepared but not sure what to expect in regards to power, speed etc. I can tell you the team was pleasantly surprised how rewarding and exciting these cats are to sail! In saying that you have to remember that in San Francisco it is the middle of winter and a lot of warm clothes/wetsuits were needed!

Jack Simpson and Markus Somerville have been selected to represent New Zealand in the 29er skiff at the 2013 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships on from 13-20 July in Limmasol, Cyprus. This will be Jack’s second Youth Worlds Regatta having helmed New Zealand’s 29er entry in Zadar, Croatia in 2011; this year he is crew with Markus Somerville at the helm.

2013 is well underway and it’s great to hear all the news and results coming in from all the National Championships and other regattas on around the country at this time of year, and a few summer cruising tales too. There is plenty going on for the entire Yachting New Zealand team as we plan for the year ahead, and beyond, so here is an update for you.