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Yachting looks set to break another record at the annual AIMS Games, the largest sporting event for 11-13 year olds in the Southern Hemisphere.
AIMS is the Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools and each year the city of Tauranga hosts the Anchor AIMS Games, a 21-sport event.
Yachting New Zealand partnered with Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club two years ago to put a bid in for yachting to be included in the event. Now in its third year, the event is going from strength to strength.
As many as 47 Optimist sailors have so far entered this year's regatta with two weeks to go until online entries close, with a particularly strong field looking set to contest the year 7 boy’s category.
Yachting New Zealand regional support officer and AIMS yachting code co-ordinator Hamish Hey is excited at the early list of entries.
“It’s absolutely fantastic to see the continued growth in yachting as a code at the event and it totally justifies the sport's inclusion in the event two years ago,” he said.
The early list of schools represented includes Christchurch’s Chisnallwood Intermediate – the southernmost school to enter the yachting to date. St Kentigern College and St Kentigern boys look set to make another strong appearance with 12 sailors entered between them.
“Knowing which schools are yet to register, I can see we will have another strong event and would be surprised if entries didn’t again clear the 80-mark,” Hey said.
Murrays Bay Intermediate, who have proven a strong contender in the past, are yet to enter.
The Anchor AIMS Games yachting event is open to students who are in years 7 and 8 of their schooling, so are typically 11-13 years of age by the time the event is run in early September each year. Students can place overall in the regatta, or by year and gender and also earn points for their school as a team within the overall results.
Hey encouraged prospective sailors to get their entries in through their school sports co-ordinator because late entries incur a penalty.
For more information on the AIMS Games yachting championship please, visit here or contact Hamish Hey – Yachting New Zealand northern regional support officer on 021 433 531 or hamish@yachtingnz.org.nz
