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Former Emirates Team New Zealand member and America’s Cup World Series veteran Harry Thurston won this year’s Knight Frank South Island Young 88 Championships in Lyttelton.
One Way leads Flying Machine on the second day of racing. Photo: Andrew Herriot.
The boat, One Way, is owned by Tim Anderson and based in Thurston’s home port of Akaroa. The crew also featured other big names of New Zealand yachting including Team New Zealand rigger and Sydney Hobart Race winner Nick Burridge and accomplished match racer and 2011 Young 88 national championships winner Will Tiller.
Thurston’s team set the standard with an excellent performance, winning six of the seven races and offering few opportunities for the chasing pack. Despite this, there was some good, close racing, particularly on Sunday when there were a number of lead changes.
Fine weather and north-easterlies provided great racing conditions over the two-day regatta out of Naval Point Club in Lyttelton. It was light on the Saturday (7-12 knots) and fluky at times making it tough to pick the right side. A building breeze on Sunday saw 14-16 knots in the first two races, building to 18 in the third and throwing a few challenges at the crews.
The nearly-completed Te Ana Marina in Lyttelton was host to the fleet and Knight Frank sponsored hospitality after racing on Saturday. It was a great way to celebrate the new marina and have all the crew get together for a sausage, beer and a Mt Gay rum in the sun.
Big thanks to naming sponsor Knight Frank, plus Mount Gay Rum, Harken, North Sails and Oborns Nautical. Thanks also to hosts Naval Point Club Lyttelton and all the associated volunteers, spectators and cheerleaders.
More Young 88s are joining the existing Lyttelton fleet to make the most of the new marina facilities. We expect next year’s South Island championships in Akaroa to be even more hotly contested.
Results from the Young 88 South Island championships at Naval Point Club Lyttelton:
1st: One Way (Harry Thurston) 1 1 1 1 (2) 1 1 - 6 points
2nd: Flying Machine (Craig Edwards) 2 (5) 2 2 1 2 2 - 11 pts
3rd: Meltdown (Gil Smith) (7) 2 3 5 3 3 3 - 19 pts
Full results click here
Event photos click here
For more information on the Young 88 one design cruiser racer see here or here
