Issue date
Record numbers attended the secondary schools team sailing national champions at Algies Bay last week, showing the strength and growth of teams sailing.
(The gold fleet jostle for positions. Photo: Susana Buckton)
As many as 36 teams from New Zealand secondary schools as well as one team representing the Rarotonga Sailing Club competed over the five-and-a-half days and five new schools entered the competition from across the country compared with last year.
The growth in popularity of secondary schools team sailing saw about 60 teams compete at a regional level around the country in the build-up to this event.
Auckland Grammar claimed the hotly-contested gold fleet, finishing just ahead of Kerikeri High School with Kristin School third.
Napier Girls High School, who competed in the silver fleet, were the first girls team. New Plymouth Boys High School won silver fleet, followed by Rarotonga Sailing Club and Wellington Combined third.
Mahurangi College won bronze fleet, followed by Nelson College for Girls and New Plymouth Girls High.
It's hoped the top three open and girls teams will sail against their Australian counterparts at the annual interdominions, to be held this year in Australia.
The weather at Algies Bay north of Auckland enabled sailing every day, although some days didn’t start until after midday due to a lack of wind. The conditions were shifty and made for challenging sailing and those who really understood team sailing and setting mark traps were out-manoeuvring those who didn’t have quite as much experience.
Most sailors in the bronze fleet had huge learning curves, with on-the-water coaching and guidance from the senior umpires, who were paired with junior umpires to help them gain more experience. They also spent time coaching team coaches and managers on the water.
With a total of 635 races (plus an umpire’s race) across the five days, this was an outstanding achievement. A record 90 races were even sailed on the gold-silver course one day. Umpires’ feedback was that they appreciated a very high standard of sailing and the change to two umpires per race worked well, helping to increase the consistency and speed of decision-making. The sportsmanship of the group overall of a very high standard.
Some racing stats: 36 teams raced, approximately 250 students were on the water and were assisted by more than 50 coaches, umpires and race management. Forty-two 420s sailed continuously and the hooter sounded more than 6,985 times on the water.
A team sailing umpires’ course, supported by Yachting New Zealand, held prior to the event attracted 20 attendees. Quality umpiring is crucial to team sailing, with 12-15 umpires required to cover the racing.
Yet again, Ross, Gay, Derry and the management team who organised and facilitated this event did an amazing job, and they were backed up by many others who made the event such a success.
Results from the secondary school teams sailing national championships at Algies Bay
Gold fleet (School RR1 RR2 Sub Total RR3 Sub Total Place OA)
Auckland Grammar School 1 3 4 3 7 1
Kerikeri High School 5 2 7 1 8 2
Kristin School 2 5 7 2 9 3
Wentworth College 6 1 7 5 12 4
Marlborough Boys High School 4 7 11 6 17 6
Queen Charlotte College 7 8 15 7 22 7
Kings College 9 4 13 10 23 8
Tauhara College 8 9 13 10 25 9
Napier Boys High School 10 10 20 11 31 10
St Kentigern College 12 11 23 8 32 11
Silver fleet
New Plymouth Boys High School 11 12 23 12 35 12
Rarotonga Sailing Club 17 16 33 13 46 13
Wellington Combined 15 14 29 18 47 14
Mt Aspiring College 14 17 31 16 47 15
Christchurch Boys High School 18 15 33 15 48 16
Tauranga Boys High School 16 19 35 14 49 17
Napier Girls High School (1st girls) 13 18 31 19 50 18
Whangarei Boys High School 19 13 32 20 52 19
Glendowie College 20 20 40 17 57 20
Waimea College 23 21 44 21 65 21
Bronze fleet
Mahurangi College 21 22 43 23 21 22
Nelson Girls High School (2nd girls) 22 23 45 245 69 23
New Plymouth Girls High School (3rd girls) 25 27 52 22 74 24
Central Comined 24 24 48 32 80 25
Cambridge High School 34 26 60 25 85 27
Tauranga Girls High School 28 31 59 27 86 28
Whangarei Girls Combined 30 29 59 28 87 29
Epsom Girls College 29 33 62 29 91 30
Nelson Boys High School 31 32 63 30 93 31
Diocesan School for Girls (Auckland) 32 30 62 31 93 32
Christ's College 27 34 61 34 95 33
Waiheke High School 33 28 61 35 96 34
Macleans College 35 35 70 26 96 35
Marlborough Girls High School 36 36 72 36 108 36
