Two weeks after Cyclone Lusi caused a postponement of the 2014 Turangi International Open, 21 OK Dinghies descended on the central North Island in somewhat different conditions from what the lake had experienced during the cyclone. The forecast for the weekend was for light and variable winds and thats exactly what the fleet got.

NZL Sailing Team crews made massive gains on day two of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma in now Mallorca, Spain. Conditions were light again today and racing continued into the evening.

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 beyond that.

Last Sunday, 30 March, saw a keen group of disabled children and youths having a bit of a go at Sailing. For this group it was a first opportunity to venture out on the water on a yacht.

The week of the 24th to the 28th March marked the 10th anniversary of this regatta and the first one held since the tragic death of the founder and principal organiser of the regatta, Allan Garbutt, in June last year. Overall top performing crew were: Dylan Edwards (skipper) and George Early (crew) and once again Otago Boys’ High School took out top honours as overall top school.

New Zealand dinghy fleets fluctuate in numbers from season to season – some rapidly climbing into the hundreds, and others decline. Among the classes that are riding the wave of success in strong fleet numbers in recent years are the OK Dinghy, the Zephyr, and the Paper Tiger – three unique classes with distinct features.

On Saturday the 26th April 2014 at 2pm, at the Onerahi Yacht Club Clubrooms, Beach Rd, Onerahi, we will be celebrating the Whangarei to Noumea Yacht Race, from the inaugural event on the 18th April 1964 through the races of 1967, 1971, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1984.

The 2014 European season is underway for the NZL Sailing Team after the first of the major northern hemisphere ISAF Sailing World Cup Regattas opened today in Palma de Mallorca Spain.

This weekend sees the 2014 Lidgard Sails Regatta taking place at the Evans Bay Yacht and Motor Boat Club in Wellington. With the regatta incorporating the Wellington Trailer Yacht Championships, the Javelin North Islands and the Hartley 16 Traveller Series a big turn out is expected for racing on the waters of Evans Bay.

The ISAF Youth Match Racing World Championship is to be held in Helsinki, Finland from 23-27 July 2014 and Yachting New Zealand is seeking expressions of interest.