Issue date
Kohimarama sailors Oli Stone and Bella Jenkins have done ‘the double’ at the Zhik Tanner and Tauranga Cup in Wellington this month.
Stone took out the overall wins and Jenkins did the double as top female - achievements which are no mean feat for young sailors contesting some of New Zealand’s most prestigious youth trophies off Plimmerton Boating Club.
Bella Jenkins (left) and Oli Stone (right) - Photos // Deb Williams
Jenkins was one of ten female sailors in the 39-strong fleet to contest the Tauranga Cup which is known as the P-Class Nationals and it’s the second year she’s put her name to two titles.
“Being first girl in the Tanner and Tauranga Cup, and winning the Naomi James Memorial Trophy for the second time made me feel proud knowing what some of the previous winners have achieved in their yachting careers,” she comments.
She admits she was a little nervous heading into the Tanner Cup, the inter-provincial event which runs prior to the nationals, because as her training schedule hadn’t quite gone to plan.
“I hadn’t trained as much due to a concussion a few months back, and the regatta had some tricky conditions. It was light and shifty in the Tanner, and the Tauranga was a mixture of light and heavy winds which made it harder to decide which sail to use,” she explains.
Bella Jenkins - Photo // Deb Williams
Strong winds were a feature of the Tauranga Cup, with Jenkins and Stone both taking away memorable moments from the final race where a solid 20-25 knots was starting to gust above.
“Sending it downwind past four of five boats because they capsized or lost control,” was a thrilling moment for Jenkins, and Stone says the best part of the entire day was after the race had finished, and charging his way to the shore through big waves.
“Organisers were sending us in early. I just remember the wind, and going as fast as I could, sending it bow down. It was pretty intense as I hadn’t really sailed in those conditions before,” he says.
Oli Stone - Photo // Deb Williams
Stone was also sailing a borrowed boat, the very same P-Class in fact that carried Sean Kensington to matching victories in the 2021 editions.
He had also sailed the boat last year to a 4th and 2nd in the Tanner/Tauranga consecutively.
“I’d really like to thank Andrew Kensington for lending me their pretty-much brand new boat, it was a great opportunity,” he says.
Just one point separated Stone from the runners up in both events, with William Mason of Wakatere Boating Club the runner up for the Tanner Cup, and fellow training partner Blake McKinnon or Murrays Bay Sailing Club for the Tauranga Cup.
Stone comes from an enthusiastic sailing family, and remembers crewing for his dad in their family mistral off Tamaki Yacht Club as a four-year-old, joined by his sister because they were too light to crew alone.
Now the 14-year old is in good company with the likes of Gilpin, Russell Coutts, Chris Dickson, Dean Barker and Paul Snow-Hansen for claiming both trophies in the same year.
YNZ High Performance Manager Ian Stewart says these P-Class events are ingrained into the fabric of New Zealand’s yachting history.
“It’s still a highly competitive, highly prestigious event, and to do the Tanner/Tauranga double is a fair indication of a pretty talented yachtie,” he says.
Regatta Director Todd Olson who is also the Plimmerton Boating Club Sailing Academy Officer gave credit to his team for ensuring all precautions were taken to keep sailors as the number one priority throughout the regatta.
“We used experiences from recent regattas held including the North Island champs, and these prior learnings have helped us refine the processes in an area that can really blow and cause safety concerns,” he says.
The P Class is unique to New Zealand and will this year celebrate it’s 100th anniversary.
Results and standings from the 2023 Zhik Tauranga Cup at Plimmerton Boating Club – 39 entries
Female:
- 1st (and 10th overall): Bella Jenkins (Kohimarama Yacht Club) (14) 12 6 13 11 6 (25) 8 – 56 points - received the Naomi James Trophy
- 2nd (and 15th overall): Lucy Luxford (Charteris Bay Yacht Club) (17) 17 13 16 9 (UFD) 10 14 – 76 points – received the Harken Cup
- 3rd (and 31st overall): Kate Howse (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 18 (26) 18 23 23 20 20 (DNF) 16 – 122 points
Male and overall:
- 1st: Oli Stone (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 1 1 (3) 1 2 (3) 2 3 – 10 points – Received the Tauranga Cup.
- 2nd: Blake McKinnon (Murrays Bay Sailing Club/Bucklands Beach Yacht Club) (4) 2 (4) 4 1 2 1 – 11 points – Received the Memorial Cup.
- 3rd: William Mason (Wakatere Boating Club) 2 5 1 2 3 1 (DNS) (DNF) – 14 points – received the Carter Cup.
Additional trophy winners:
- Harry Highest Salver for winner of Race 1 – Oli Stone (KYC)
- Craig Monk Trophy for highest placed over 55kg – Jack Olson (PLBC)
- Murrays Bay Cup for highest placed 1st time competitor – Keyton Lay (RAYC/WBC)
- Farr and Associates Trophy for youngest in the top 10 – Nathan Soper (MBSC/QCYC/CBYC)
- Colin Smith Trophy for highest placed from the host club – Jack Olson (PLBC)
- Franklin Plumbing Trophy for club of the Tauranga Cup Winner – Kohimarama Yacht Club.
Results and standings from the 2023 Zhik Tanner Cup at Plimmerton Boating Club – 17 entries
Male and overall:
- 1st: Oli Stone (Kohimarama Yacht Club – Auckland rep) (6) 4 3 1 2 2 – 12 points – received the Tanner Cup.
- 2nd: William Mason (Wakatere Boating Club – North Harbour rep) 5 3 1 (11) 1 3 – 13 points – received the Gisborne Cup.
- 3rd: Will Leech (Charteris Bay Yacht Club – Christchurch Rep) 1 (6) 6 3 3 6 – 19 points – received the Otago Trophy.
Female:
- 1st (and 12th overall): Bella Jenkins (Kohimarama Yacht Club – Auckland Rep) (12) 10 10 10 11 9 – 50 points.
- 2nd (and 13th overall): Lucy Luxford (Charteris Bay Yacht Club - Christchurch Rep) 15 11 15 (16) 7 13 - 77 points.
Winner of Race 1 - John Thompson Trophy – Will Leech (WBC)
