2016 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland wraps up on a no wind day

A calm, humid day in Auckland meant no racing was possible today at 2016 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland and the regatta wraps up with prizes awarded to those out in front after Saturday’s competition.

Competitors, organisers and supporters have all enjoyed the warm hospitality of both Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Fairway Bay Hobbs Wharf venues with some great close racing across all fleets.

Youth sailors competing in the 29er, the 420 and Laser Radial have been provided a rare opportunity to compete at a regatta alongside members of the New Zealand’s Olympic campaigners – the very sailors that inspire them to take part in the sport of sailing.

Paralympic and other accessible classes join the mix, as well as invited classes including the Flying 15s and OK Dinghies all making for a fun, and competitive event.

“We’re really wrapped and excited to host Oceanbridge Sail Auckland here,” says Commodore of Murrays Bay Sailing Club Scott Leith. “I’m really proud of our Club, we had about a hundred people from our club help out over the four days.”

Talking about what Oceanbridge Sail Auckland Regatta offers that is unique Leith says, “It was inspiring for our youth sailors particularly to compete with the best in the world and see the Olympians in the flesh, and for the Olympians to walk around the park and rub shoulders with them and talk to them.”

Over the course of the four day regatta sailors enjoyed a range of conditions. Leith says, “The weather turned it on, the first three days were fantastic conditions, a bit of light, a bit of medium and one race of heavy.”

Murrays Bay Sailing Club, where a brand new club house was opened last September, is hosting this regatta for the first time. “We’re really excited with the new club house. I think it performed extremely well. We had enough room to fit everyone and more so we can do it bigger and better next year I think.”

Leith, a competitor himself in the Laser Radial class, was delighted and surprised to defend his title.

“I started off a bit hazy after spending so much time last week organising the regatta. I started off with a 14^th and from there I went forward to 6^th after the first day, to 2^nd after the next day to winning it yesterday,” he says. “So I’m pretty relieved and quite dumb-founded that I actually managed to win because I didn’t sail my best. Good to retain the title.”

2016 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland
Final Results – top three
Full results here

49er

1^st Jack Simpson and Logan Dunning Beck (NZL)
2^nd Ryo Takahashi and Ibuki Koizumi (JPN)
3^rd Isaac McHardie and Trent Rippey (NZL)

49erFX

1^st Alex Maloney and Molly Meech (NZL)
2^nd Erica Dawson and Ellie Copeland (NZL)

Laser Standard
1^st Sam Meech (NZL)
2^nd Andy Maloney (NZL)
3^rd Colin Cheng (Singapore)

Laser Radial – Overall
1^st Scott Leith (NZL/Men)
2^nd Susannah Pyatt (NZL/Womens)
3^rd George Gautrey (NZL/Youth)
(See here for full results listing in the Laser Radial results including Women, Men and Youth)

Nacra 17
1^st Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders (NZL)
2^nd Olivia Mackay and Micah Wilkinson (NZL)
3^rd Vicky Francis and crew (NZL)

Sonar

1^st Rick Dodson, Andrew May and Chris Sharp (NZL)
2^nd John Weston and crew (NZL)

Hansa Liberty

1^st Sarah Dunckley (NZL)
2^nd Robert Coulter (NZL)
3^rd Tim Demspey (NZL)

420

1^st Josh Berry and Henry Haslett (NZL/Male)
2^nd Jonathon Weston and Taylor Balogh (NZL/Male)
3^rd Xanthe Copeland and Karensa Jennings (NZL/Female)
(See here for full results listing in the 420 results including Female and Male)

29er

1^st Jackson Keon and Tom Fyffe (NZL)
2^nd Lewis Anderson and Pat Morgan (NZL)
3^rd Sebastian Lardies and Scott McKenzie (NZL)
(See here for full results listing in the 29er results including Female and Male)

OK Dinghy

1^st Ben Morrison (WBC)
2^nd Rod Davis (WBC)
3^rd Russell Wood (WBC)

Flying 15

1^st Adrienne Rekke and Craig Coulam (RAYC)
2^nd Bruce Yovich and crew (Onerahi YC)
3^rd Sally Garrett and Neil Easton (RAYC)

To see the full results and follow the action head to sailauckland.org.nz

Links

Regatta website 
Sail Auckland Youtube channel             
Facebook                 
Twitter@SailAKL

Images and Video

2016 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland will be covered by official event photographer Will Calver with high resolution images available free for editorial use on request. Email Jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz

A daily video highlights clip covering action from across the course areas will be produced by Tomo of Argentine Media and shared on the regatta website, youtube channel and facebook page. 

About 2016 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland

Oceanbridge Sail Auckland 2016 will take place at the Murrays Bay Sailing Club between 24-28 February.

The NZL Sailing Team are anticipated to feature strongly in what is the biggest Olympic and Paralympic class regatta in New Zealand, and alongside them will be New Zealand’s top developing youth sailors and keen competitors in a range of invited classes such as the OK Dinghy

Olympic and Paralympic class boats taking part include: Laser, Laser Radial, Finn, 470, 49er, 49er FX, RS:X 9.5, Nacra 17 and Sonar.

Other invited classes racing in 2016 include: OK Dinghy, 29er, 420, Liberty and Flying Fifteen.

Over four days of racing 11-15 races will take place for all fleets, except for the OK Dinghy, Sonar and Flying Fifteens that will sail for two days on Saturday 27^th and Sunday 28^th only.  The format for all classes will be fleet racing with no medal race.