Manly Sailing Club, on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, has been elected by the NZIODA to host the 2014 Optimist National Championships over the Easter holiday period (18-23 April) for five days of fleet racing on the waters north of Big Manly Beach.
Yachting is a very adaptive sport that everybody can get something out of. Whether it is intense racing, sailing around the world, or just an afternoon picnic cruise, sailing is a sport to be enjoyed by everybody!
It's going to be a busy season ahead- so be sure to put these dates to your calendar now, and start planning ahead. These events and many others can all be found on the YNZ Online Event Calendar and while you're there add your club events for everybody else to see too!
Did you read about the foursome of Olympic class sailors, past and present, who will take to their stand up paddle boards on Saturday 27th October for the 2012 Starboard Paddle for Hope - an annual charity fundraiser festival of Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP)?
Dubbed the Real Sailors - Andrew ‘Hurricane Force’ Brown, Marcus ‘Mad Dog’ Hansen, James ‘the Terminator’ Turner and JP ‘Twin Turbo’ Tobin will hit the water at Auckland Viaduct going up against other teams including an Emirates Team New Zealand entry in a fun relay race.
Sunday 14 October saw Manly Sailing Club hosting the Hibiscus Coast Youth Regatta. After the north westerly gale that wreaked havoc over Auckland and much of the country on Saturday the forecast at 0700 Sunday was for 18-20kts decreasing in the afternoon. However what was forecast and what happened were not quite the same.
The plan to run open fleet races out of Big Manly Bay in clear winds were scotched 10min into the first race when winds were averaging in the high 20knots range forcing racing into the Bay in flatter water.
NZL Sailing Team sailor and 2012 Radial representative in London, Sara Winther reflects on her Olympic debut and thanks her supporters…
The Olympic Games was an experience like no other. You plan and prepare for an event like this by talking to people who have been there and done it, but I now know that until you actually live and experience it for yourself that you don’t truly realize what it is like.
A good, fast sprint with a high chance of a record is forecast for this week's Coastal Classic Auckland to Russell Yacht Race, particularly for the boats that will lead the pack.
The wind forecasting site PredictWind.com is suggesting that the boats will encounter a strong 25knot South West breeze off the start at 10am on Friday, moderating that night, a scenario that will see most boats hoist brightly coloured spinnakers or gennakers off the waters of the North Shore, and depart the Hauraki Gulf quick smart.
Yacht racing wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and commitment of qualified race officials including Judges, Race Officers and Umpires, and those that put in the time and effort enjoy the challenge and the rewards that these roles offer.
Yachting New Zealand administers these qualifications and offers courses for those looking to get started as well right through to those with significant experience who can revalidate their qualification and keep up to speed with the latest rules and practices.
The following National Race Officers have recently revalidated their status for another four years…
The Equipment Rules of Sailing (ERS) for 2013-2016 has been made available to download online and for the first time, as an iOS application ahead of the worldwide date of implementation on 1 January 2013.
The official ERS iOS Application, available on all mobile Apple devices, allows the user to quickly find information about all aspects of the rules that govern the sport on the water.
The sailing season has begun and it’s time to set some goals to improve your skills... why not get stuck into an intensive training clinic for Paralympic Classes at Wanaka next month? The dates have been set for November 23-25 ... so get your registrations in and start planning.
Followers of the NZMYC Coastal Classic: put forward your best guesstimate of the winning time in next Friday's race, and be in to win a trip for you and a friend aboard Steinlager II.
The NZ Sailing Trust was originally established for the preservation of Lion New Zealand. It has now grown with the recent acquisition of Steinlager 2. Sir Peter Blake took the lessons learned from the 85-86 race with Lion NZ and applied all of it into the design and build of Steinlager 2. She became a world class competitor winning every Whitbread leg over the line and on handicap, a record still standing today.
Just who will be named 2012 Orbit Corporate Travel Sailor of the Year won’t be unveiled until Friday November 23rd, but we now know who is in the running. Yachting New Zealand has revealed the list of 2012 Performance, Service and Cruising Award Winners, the winner of the Emerging Talent Award and a short-list of finalists for both the Young Sailor of the Year and the Coach/Official of the Year.
New Zealand has entered a team to sail the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup 2013 set to take centre stage on San Francisco Bay in the time window between the Louis Vuitton Cup and the Americas Cup in 2013.
Yachting New Zealand wants to hear from eligible sailors keen to be part of the New Zealand Team.
RAYC is hosting another Advanced Sea Survival Course before the Around White Island Race.
Date: 17-18 November
Times: Saturday from 0830, Sunday – early!
Where: RAYC
Cost: $395 per person includes morning/afternoon tea and a light lunch
Here’s a look at the up-coming sailing events around the country for the remainder of October. Don’t miss out on some free promotion for your sailing events by adding them to the YNZ on-line calendar.
Whether you’re already coaching and wanting to up-skill or want to get started by learning how to deliver Learn to Sail Yachting New Zealand has a range of courses available around the country. Here’s a look at what is on in the next couple of weeks.
See yachtingnz.org.nz for more information about the full range of courses on offer.
PM Scholarships 2012: YNZ Endorsement Guidelines: Prime Minister’s (PM) Scholarships assist athletes who seek to do well on the international stage in Olympic class competition and also gain a tertiary level education. PM Scholarships are managed by Sport New Zealand however Yachting New Zealand will be required to endorse and then rank applicants. This year Yachting New Zealand will be looking at the following when assessing how to rank or endorse sailors’ applications for a PM Scholarship.
YNZ's Intermediate School programme Sailing... Have A Go! is back in season. The three mobile units continue to provide young people with a sailing experience, and one that disabled kids can take part along with their peers.
The Stack Winter Champs was a high quality regatta with a high quality fleet, summarises Murrays Bay Sailing Club Commodore David Gunn, of the event that is now seen as delineating the winter and summer seasons, for about 200 boats and 300 sailors.
For a number of new Optimist sailors, it was their first ever regatta. For Olympians including Jo Aleh, Polly Powrie, Sarah Winther, and Laser Worlds medallists Andy Maloney and Scott Leith, it was business as usual, racing in territory they are very familiar with.
35 knots buffeted the course on Saturday and for the first time in 13 years, racing was cancelled. Both Friday and Sunday offered up better conditions, shifty and challenging but making for good racing.
You can win an opportunity to spend an afternoon sailing Steinlager 2 - details will be announced on www.coastalclassic.co.nz shortly.
The winner will get to spend an afternoon on board Steinlager 2 for a sail around the Hauraki Gulf. Sailing starts at 4pm from the Auckland Viaduct, and involves a 2 ½ hour sail. This will take place in February 2013 (with the specific date to be confirmed directly with the NZ Sailing Trust).
On October 8th there was a record turn out for an Inclusive Coaching workshop at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club, attended by twenty two people from seven different yacht clubs. The Halberg Disability Sport Foundation and Yachting New Zealand delivered the workshop together as a coach orientated workshop that enhances current knowledge and promotes the inclusion of disabled sailors.
The Mander Yachting Trust “Canterbury Yachtie of the Year” awards were held recently at Naval Point Club Lyttelton. This annual event gives Canterbury clubs and class associations the opportunity to recognise local sailors and volunteers in a number of categories, both on and off the water. As in previous years this fairly informal event proved to be a good pre-season opportunity for members of the Canterbury sailing community to get together and enjoy some light refreshments and catch up with old and new friends.
Chilly Christchurch weather didn't deter a group of enthusiastic children attending an Introduction to Sailing Course at Naval Point Club Lyttelton earlier this week.
The course is one of five on during October being made possible by a combined fundraising initiative involving Yachting New Zealand’s Sailing… Have a Go! programme and CAMPER (with Emirates Team New Zealand) to benefit the yacht clubs of post-earthquake Christchurch with a view to re-vitalising activity and interest in sailing during a difficult time. Five different Christchurch yacht clubs are involved and offering introductory sailing courses.
What’s new in the Hauraki Gulf? A free presentation at Panmure Yacht & Boating Club is being offered on Friday 12th October starting 7pm.
Anne Rimmer, keen sailor and conservationist, offers an evening of stories, fantastic photos, and the latest conservation news from the Hauraki Gulf.
Get a lively and fact‐filled update on the various restoration projects in the Gulf ‐ special sanctuaries like Tiritiri Matangi, Rangitoto, Motutapu and Motuihe Islands, and Shakespear Regional Park on the mainland.
The New Zealand Team has wrapped up the 2012 Kiteboard Racing World Championships wrapped with two top ten placings in what was this nation’s opening bid at a key regatta in the new Olympic sport of kiteboard racing.
David Robertson concluded the regatta in ninth position in a monster 135 strong men’s fleet, while Justina Sellers finished in tenth of 42 women. The order of the top ten was decided on the final day of racing staged overnight (NZT) in Cagliari, Italy.
It's that time of year again, time to renew your membership of the New Zealand Access Class Association! Membership is an eligibility requirement for entry to compete in the Nationals, but is also open to those who have an interest in Access Class and want to support the future development of the Access Class in New Zealand.
The Yachting New Zealand AGM is scheduled for this coming Saturday, 13th October at 11:30am at the RPNYC in Wellington. Morning tea will be available during registration from 11am.
Members are asked to confirm their attendance by Friday. Email Beth to let her know you are coming.
Three crews will be representing New Zealand and the NZ Council for Sailing for the Blind and Vision Impaired to defend NZ's current World Championship title and uphold its tradition of excellent performances throughout the 20 year history at the World Blind Sailing Championships.
The New Zealand team competing at the 2012 Kiteboard Racing World Championships in Cagliari, Italy have secured a spot in the medal race series in both the men’s and women’s fleets.
Both Dave Robertson and Justina Sellers have made the top ten and will each sail two races tomorrow on the final day of competition where the 2012 World Champions will be decided. Robertson has qualified in eighth overall, Sellers is in tenth place improving after strong results on
the third day of the regatta.
Maersk Line staff members enjoying Friday drinks and nibbles were treated to a visit from Olympic Gold Medallists Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie along with fellow NZL Sailing Team campaigners Jason Saunders and Andy Maloney.
The two NZL Sailing Team crews that achieved podium place finishes in the 2012 ISAF Sailing World Cup were last night presented their trophies in front of a packed staff room at Maersk Line New Zealand’s head office in the Britomart Transport Centre.
Two weeks prior to the Coastal Classic, the fleet is in very good shape, and organisers have extended the earlybird period for late entrants. This morning, over 160 entries had been received on the new Coastal Classic website, making it a fleet that is already well up on last year's.
These included Laura Dekker, who is the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the globe solo in a sail boat, teamed up for a two handed effort with 16 year old Edwin Delaat on Edwin's Farr 727 Crac-a-Jac. Jim Farmer's TP52, Georgia, has returned to New Zealand and is handicapper's co-favourite in Division 1. Past winner V5 is the other. It's the first Coastal Classic for two Northland boats: Ray Haslar's new Reichel Pugh 42, Rikki, and Chris Hornell's Kia Kaha. Sad news is that with important work to complete, Steinlager II won't make this year's race, but the stalwart Lion New Zealand will.
