News

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.

Two New Zealanders were recently recognised by sailing’s international body with ISAF Long Service Medals - Ralph Roberts was awarded an ISAF Gold Medal, and Jack Lloyd was awarded an ISAF Silver Medal.

While Yachting New Zealand’s entry to the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, known as the NZL Sailing Team with Emirates Team New Zealand, has automatic entry to the San Francisco Regatta in September, a number of other teams are currently doing their best to prove they can handle an AC45 and deserve a start in September also. Teams without the backing of an existing America’s Cup World Series team have been invited to San Francisco for a Selection Series being held in two stages, and two further New Zealand teams are in the hunt hopeful of earning themselves a start in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup this September – FMJ Racing (helmed by Will Tiller) and 36 Below Racing (helmed by Chris Steele).

Here’s a look at the up-coming sailing related events around the country for the next couple of weeks. See the YNZ on-line calendar for full details of these events and those on later in March and beyond. Are you organising an event you would like to see included? Don’t miss out on some free promotion for your sailing events by adding them to the YNZ on-line calendar here.