CHRIS STEELE crowned 2015 New Zealand Match Racing Champion!

Steele and his 36 Below Racing/RNZYS crew of Shane Diviney, Josh Salthouse & Harry Hull, beat George Anyon 3 - nil in the final series this afternoon.

Steele lead undefeated on day one and then after a disappointing days two he qualified in 4^th spot going into this mornings semi finals. Steele reflecting on what a difference a day can make, “last night we just talked about focusing more on our own race.  Bringing it back to basics and keeping the same tempo the whole way through”. This is in contrast to last year where Steele didn’t lose a race until the final series allowing Josh Junior to take the title. The 22 year old, is currently the highest ranking New Zealander on the ISAF World Rankings. He described the feeling of winning as “yeah good!” - this being his first National Title.

Second place George Anyon, representing the RNZYS Youth Training Programme (YTP), said “I’m really happy with how we went”.  Anyon is the highest scoring YTP member since Benny Butcher achieved 3^rd place in 2011. Butcher was onboard this week as part of David Hazard’s crew. 

Anyon is part of a squad of YTP sailors who head to Sydney on Wednesday to compete in two Youth International Match Racing Regattas under the guidance of Coaches Guy Pilkington and Chris Steele.

The final day started with the semi-finals, Chris Steele beat Dave Hazard’s RNZYS/KZ Marine team 3-1. As the highest qualifier from the round robins, George Anyon choose to sail against the Numean team skippered by Tugdual Piriou. It was an extremely close series with Piriou winning the first and third races, Anyon the second, fourth and fifth to win his spot in the finals against Steele.

In the petite final for fourth and fifth place, Hazard showed his home-ground advantage, beating the tide to finish 2-0 against Piriou.

The final saw Steele and Anyon in the starting box. After close legs and a few penalties to Anyon, Steele stayed in a firm lead, taking the title in three straight wins.

Commodore Andy Anderson thanked all the wonderful Race Management and Umpires teams led by Megan Kensington and Colette Kraus, at the prize giving held at the RNZYS.

We look forward to seeing these teams back next year as well as many new faces:

-Full results, scores and entrant information available at Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Facebook, Twitter and Website (rnzys.org.nz).