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The new year has started in much the same way the last ended for one of New Zealand’s top young 29er sailing pairs.
The Kensington brothers, Sean and Rowan, on Sunday added the 2023 Auckland Championship title to their growing list of accolades after winning every race at the regatta hosted by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club.
The brothers, from Kohimarama Yacht Club, triumphed in the 10-boat fleet with a total of 7 points, followed by Valentine Kayrouz and Cam McGlashan (16pts) and Will Mason and Lucas Day (21pts).
Earlier in January, the Kensingtons finished a creditable fourth at the Australian 29er Nationals at South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club; only a month after winning the division at the Sir Peter Blake Regatta at Torbay.
Sean was awarded the Sir Peter Blake memorial trophy at the event – given to the regatta’s most outstanding sailor, with past recipients having progressed to international and Olympic success.
Sean and Rowan Kensington in action in the 29er at the Auckland Championships at Royal Akarana Yacht Club. Photo / Suellen Hurling, Live Sail Die
He was a recipient of a 2022 Aon Yachting Excellence Awards and won last year’s Starling national championships in Napier, despite not spending much time in the boat in the leadup to the event. Sean and older brother Rowan also finished fifth at both last year’s Oceanbridge NZL Sailing Regatta and 29er national championships.
Another impressive performance over the weekend came from Miro Luxford, who took out the 50-strong Starling competition with five wins in eight races for a total of 10 points.
Sam Clarke finished second overall, followed by Flinn Olson.
Campbell Stanton and Will Shapland won the 49er division. Photo / Suellen Hurling, Live Sail Die
Campbell Stanton and Will Shapland won the 49er division, beating twins Sam and Pat Morgan by two points, with Scott McKenzie and Blake McGlashan third, one point back.
Nelsen Meacham and Juliet White took the Optimist honours in the Open and White classes, respectively.
Results and standings from the Optimist, Starling, 29er, and 49er Auckland Championships hosted by Royal Akarana Yacht Club and Kohimarama Yacht Club:
Optimist Open class (58 boats)
1st: Nelsen Meacham (WBC) 2 1 (3) 2 3 1 2 1 – 12 pts
2nd: Isaac Gaites (MBSC) 1 4 (10) 3 6 3 1 3 – 21 pts
3rd: Isla Barker (MBSC) 3 6 6 7 1 4 (12) 2 – 29 pts
Optimist White class (18 boats)
1st: Juliet White (WBC) 8 1 3 3 1 (13) 3 2 – 21 pts
2nd: Alex Sommerville (HSC) 1 2 1 1 4 (17) 12 6 – 27pts
3rd: Anthonio Mitalauskas (RAYC) 6 (11) 2 2 10 9 5 4 – 38 pts
Starling class (50 boats)
1st: Miro Luxford (CBYC) (7) 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 – 10 pts
2nd: Sam Clarke (MBSC) 4 2 2 10 2 2 (11) 4 – 26 pts
3rd: Flinn Olson (MBSC) (10) 3 3 3 9 3 4 3 – 28 pts
29er class (10 boats)
1st: Sean Kensington/Rowan Kensington (KYC) (1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 – 7pts
2nd: Valentine Kayrouz/Cam McGlashan (MBSC) 2 2 2 3 2 3 (5) 2 – 16 pts
3rd: Will Mason (WBC)/Lucas Day (MBSC) 3 3 (7) 4 3 2 2 4 – 21 pts
49er class (6 boats)
1st: Campbell Stanton (RAYC)/Will Shapland (TSC) 3 (5) 2 1 2 3 2 1 – 14 pts
2nd: Sam Morgan/Pat Morgan (RAYC) 2 1 (5) 5 1 1 4 2 – 16 pts
3rd: Scott McKenzie (TSC)/Blake McGlashan (MBSC) 1 2 3 3 3 (4) 1 4 – 17 pts
