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Yachting is rarely a major component of schools sports so talented youngsters jump at the chance to represent their schools in sailing at the AIMS Games, which start in Tauranga on Sunday.
As many as 94 children will compete in yachting at the AIMS Games starting on Sunday. Photo: Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Media Services.
The AIMS Games has grown markedly from the first instalment in 2004 when 760 competitors representing 17 schools took part in four sports. This year, close to 13,000 children from 303 schools from as far afield as Indonesia and the Cook Islands will compete across 21 sports from BMX to badminton and squash to swimming. It's grown so much, it's now bigger than the Commonwealth Games in terms of participants.
It will be the third year sailing has featured and 94 intermediate age children aged between 11 and 13 will compete in Optimists from the Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club. They will compete on Sunday under the watchful eye of America's Cup winners Josh Junior and Andy Maloney and competition will be intense, given it's pitched as the national school championship event for intermediate age children.
Most competitors come from Taupo north but there will be a handful from New Plymouth, Napier, Picton and Christchurch.
"For a lot of kids, this is their first big event," co-coordinator and Yachting New Zealand regional support officer Hamish Hey said. "Sailing is not really a school sport so to have the opportunity to represent your school in sailing is big.
"They will also be taking part in a very, very big event. The city of Tauranga virtually stops for this and the energy around the place and at all the different venues is way cool. There's a lot to do and you can also support other teams from your school."
The conditions in Tauranga are expected to challenge the competitors, with winds of 10-25 knots forecast over the three days. On top of that, sailors will need to contend with the tides, chop, sandbanks and other water traffic.
"Tauranga is a challenging place to sail and it's one of the reasons it produces outstanding sailors," Hey said in refernce to the likes of Peter Burling, Jason Saunders and Sam and Molly Meech. "There's a lot to learn and a lot to master. And the downwinds for this event are going to be incredibly quick."
Rosmini College took out the inaugural title in 2015 with Auckland's Belmont Intermediate winning last year. Competitors will be grouped in four divisions: year seven boys and girls and year eight boys and girls.
