Issue date
Northland Sailor of the Year Chris Hornell has sailed his Reichel/Pugh TP52 Kia Kaha to victory once again, in last weekend's Auckland Regatta.
With convincing wins in PHRF, IRC and line honours categories, Kia Kaha - which means 'stay strong' in Maori - continues to prove her mettle among New Zealand's sailing elite.
Image by Ivor Wilkins
This year's Auckland Regatta saw 85 boats competing in 11 divisions. In the A Division, Kia Kaha faced many of the same opponents she battled in the Bay of Islands Sailing Week regatta earlier this year. And with results from this year's Auckland Regatta mirroring those from Bay Week, skipper Chris Hornell can now confidently claim these were no fluke wins for Team Kia Kaha.
So how does a relative underdog take on this sea of sailing talent - most of whom are paid, professional crew - and get the better of them? Skipper Chris Hornell puts Kia Kaha's success down to a winning combination of the boat's superior light air capabilities, a crew that work well together, and great tactics.
With a crew made up entirely of unpaid amateurs, Kia Kaha certainly stands out from her competitors. Team Kia Kaha consists mainly of Hornell's friends from the Bay of Islands, as well as his daughter - Rebecca Gmuer Hornell - who at just 12 years old may well be the regatta's youngest A Division competitor.
Unlike many of her counterparts at the top, Kia Kaha doesn't sail under the banner of any of the major Auckland or Wellington clubs either. In fact, she proudly carries the letters 'OCC' on her stern, representing her local yacht club - the Opua Cruising Club - in the tiny Bay of Islands town she hails from.
You can follow Kia Kaha on Facebook - just like 'TP52 Kia Kaha' for regular racing updates.
