Issue date
Nine years ago, seven-year-old Tom Pilkington stood on stage at the Sir Peter Blake Regatta prizegiving to receive an award for his determination after capsizing early in a race but fighting back to win it.
Last weekend, Pilkington returned to that stage to claim the prestigious Sir Peter Blake Memorial Trophy, one of New Zealand youth sailing’s most coveted honours. The trophy, awarded annually at the regatta - one of the largest small-boat events in the Southern Hemisphere - recognises racing success, leadership, and competitive spirit, with past winners including Jo Aleh, Peter Burling, and Sam Meech.
Pilkington won the ILCA 6 fleet, beating 29 competitors, and outshone over 300 sailors to take the overall award. Other class winners included Greta Hutton (Optimist open), Finloe Gaites and Zofia Wells (P Class), and Blake McKinnon and Amelia Higson (Starling open).
Tom Pilkington on stage at the 2015 Sir Peter Blake Regatta. Photo / Supplied
In the 29er fleet, Will Leech and William Mason triumphed, as did Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley. The RS: Feva honours went to James Currell and George Hayton, and Elisa Currie and Juliet White.
"I’ve had a pretty good year, but I wasn’t expecting to win this award," Tom said. "It was only my third regatta in the ILCA 6 after moving up from the ILCA 4 which I last sailed at the ILCA nationals in Napier (in January). Sailing the bigger rig has been a challenge, but I was surprised by my speed all weekend."
"Hearing my name called and walking up to receive the trophy was surreal. I still get chills thinking about it."
He received the award from renowned broadcaster Peter Montgomery and last year’s winner William Mason, rounding off an incredible year for one of Auckland’s best-known sailing families.
Tom’s older brother, George, is a former age-group national champion in the ILCA 6 and competed at the youth sailing world championships in Búzios, Brazil, last December. This year, George joined the ILCA 7 training squad under Yachting New Zealand coach Mark Howard as he eyes a potential campaign for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Sister Greta made her Olympic debut in Marseille in July, becoming the first Kiwi to represent New Zealand in the ILCA 6 at the Games since 2012. She was also named the NZL Sailing Foundation Young Female Sailor of the Year at the Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards two weeks ago.
Tom himself has been part of Auckland Grammar’s dominant schools sailing team and impressed during a stint in the 29er. However, his focus for the next two years will remain firmly on the ILCA 6, as he aims to follow in the footsteps of his older siblings.
Pilkington finished first overall in the 30-boat ILCA 6 fleet. Photos / Live Sail Die
"I’d love to compete at the Olympics one day," Tom said. "Seeing Greta do it this year in Marseille was unbelievable. I’m lucky to have a brother and sister who’ve both sailed the ILCA 6, and I tap into their knowledge as much as I can."
However, dinner table conversations at the Pilkington household can get lively, especially since Tom joined the ILCA 6 fleet.
"They help me a lot, but there’s plenty of banter too," he laughed. "Greta hasn’t been sharing as much recently. I think it’s because the nationals are just around the corner (in Nelson next month), and she’s worried I might beat her!"
Final results and standings from the 2024 Sir Peter Blake Regatta hosted by Torbay Sailing Club:
Optimist open fleet (54 boats)
1. Greta Hutton (Murrays Bay Sailing Club)2 2 1 1 2 (4) 2 - 10 points
2. Harry Strang (Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club) 9 3 2 2 6 2 (19) - 24 pts
3. Sofia Turner (Wakatere Boating Club) (7) 7 3 6 4 1 5 - 26 pts
4. Flora Stevens (Glendowie Boating Club) (19) 6 5 9 3 3 1 - 27 pts
5. Sam Kandziora (Wakatere Boating Club) 3 9 4 4 (10) 6 4 4- 30 pts
6. Jeffrey Du (Kohimarama Yacht Club) (25) 5 10 8 14 5 9 - 51 pts
Optimist green fleet (37 boats)
1. Alvin Zhang (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 4 1 1 1 2 (6) - 9 pts
2. Elizabeth Brunton (Napier ailing Club) 7 4 3 2 1 (8) - 17 pts
3. Adam Palmer (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) (14) 3 2 6 9 1 - 21 pts
4. Mingrui (Ray) Zhang (Royal Akarana Yacht Club) 1 (9) 4 7 6 5 - 23 pts
5. Astrid Thirkettle (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 6 7 8 3 12 (20) - 36 pts
6. Aiden Ren (Royal Akarana Yacht Club) 17 6 6 8 3 (19) - 40 pts
Optimist white fleet (32 boats)
1. Jack Robertson (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 1 2 (9) 4 6 1 - 14 pts
2. Alex Garcia-Curtis (Torbay Sailing Club) 6 1 (16) 3 3 2 - 15 pts
3. Hudson Halla (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 3 3 4 (33OCS) 2 3 - 15 pts
8. Dallas Noyer (Kohimarama Yacht Club) (14) 4 10 8 12 6 - 40 pts
12. Libby Briscoe (Murrays Bay Sailinbg Club) 7 9 6 (21) 9 20 - 51 pts
13. Frankie Barker (Napier Sailing Club) 10 6 20 (24) 8 19 - 63 pts
P Class (21 boats)
1. Finloe Gaites (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) (9) 3 3 1 2 1 - 10 pts
2. Hamish Brown (Wakatere Boating Club) 2 (5) 1 2 5 5 - 15 pts
3. Arthur Rebbeck (Wakatere Boating Club) 3 4 2 3 4 (6) - 16 pts
4. Zofia Wells (Glendowie Boating Club) 1 1 11 (22BFD) 1 3 - 17 pts
8. Charlotte Handley(Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 13 13 9 (22BFD) 3 2 - 40 pts
9. Amber Hughes (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 12 14 7 4 10 (15) - 47 pts
Starling open fleet (55 boats)
1. Blake Mckinnon (Bucklands Beach Yacht Club) (21) 2 3 1 1 5 7 - 19 pts
2. Amelia Higson (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) (11) 1 1 11 4 4 4 - 25 pts
3. Leo Brown (Royal Akarana Yacht Club) 7 3 (20) 9 2 6 1 - 28 pts
4. Stavro Purdie (Royal Akarana Yacht Club) (56DNF) 8 6 6 3 1 12 - 36 pts
9. Mila Blundell (Charteris Bay Yacht Club) (34) 23 12 4 10 9 6 - 64 pts
12. Alexis Heckler (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 25 13 7 8 (56BFD) 16 10 - 79 pts
Starling development fleet (16 boats)
1. Kiera Dimock (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 2 2 2 (3) 1 1 1 - 9 pts
2. Hugo Brasell (Lake Taupo Yacht Club) 1 5 1 1 3 3 (7) - 14 pts
3. Maren Lopetegi (French Bay Yacht Club0 3 4 4 4 2 (9) 4 - 21 pts
4. Youngjoon Lee (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) (7) 3 5 6 4 4 5 - 27 pts
5. George Renall (Wakatere Boating Club) 4 1 (17OCS) 7 7 5 6 - 30 pts
8. Paige McLachlan-Roberts (Bucklands Beach Yacht Club) (14) 11 3 2 5 10 12 - 43 pts
ILCA 6 fleet (30 boats)
1. Tom Pilkington (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 1 1 5 2 (7) 3 - 12 pts
2. Sam Clarke (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 4 5 1 3 1 (9) - 14 pts
3. Adam Mark (Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club) 3 (12) 2 5 4 6 - 20 pts
7. Kate Rasmussen (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 11 6 (19) 10 2 5 - 34 pts
8. Chloe Turner (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 6 10 4 7 (31BFD) 7 - 34 pts
22. Gretel Satterthwaite (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 22 (30) 23 20 13 26 - 104 pts
O'pen Skiff gold fleet (19 boats)
1. Sol Douwes (Manly Sailing Club) 1 2 1 (7) 2 5 3 - 14 pts
2. Oliver Tiedemann Manly Sailing Club) 7 (8) 7 1 1 1 1 - 18 pts
3. Valentina Gladiadis (Manly Sailing Club) 3 4 3 2 5 3 (8) - 20 pts
4. Joseph Reynolds (Manly Sailing Club) (9) 1 5 3 4 4 4 - 21 pts
5. Dahlia Fyfe (Manly Sailing Club) (20DNF) 10 4 5 3 9 2 - 33 pts
6. Mia Peters (Manly Sailing Club) 2 5 6 4 8 8 (20UFD) - 33 pts
O'pen Skiff silver fleet (10 boats)
1. Jackson Leigh (Bay of Islands Yacht Club) 1 1 1 (2) 2 1 - 6 pts
2. Henry Burgess (Bay of Islands Yacht Club) 2 (3) 3 3 1 2 - 11 pts
3. Maple Brazle (Manly Sailing Club) 6 2 2 1 3 (11UFD) - 14 pts
4. Martina Harper (Queen Charlotte Yacht Club) 3 (5) 5 5 4 3 - 20 pts
5. Zara Cooper (Bucklands Beach Yacht Club) 5 4 4 4 (7) 6 - 23 pts
7. Chase Torbet (Manly Sailing Club) 8 7 2 8 7 2 (20UFD) - 34 pts
iQFOiL class (2 boards)
1. Finn Davies (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 1 3DNF - 4 pts
2. Elbe White (Wakatere Boating lub) 2 3RET - 5 pts
RS: Feva fleet (20 boats)
1. James Currell (Maraetai Sailing Club)/George Hayton (Howick Sailing Club) (9) 1 1 1 4DPI 2 2 7 - 16 pts
2. Elisa Currie (Maraetai Sailing Club)/Juliet White (Wakatere Boating Club) 5 2 (18) 4 1 2 - 16 pts
3. Marlon Porteous/Millie Sanderson (Royal Akarana Yacht Club) 2 4 (9) 3 3 3 3 - 18 pts
4. Jonathan Wang/Harry Hill (Bucklands Beach Yacht Club) (7) 3 5 2 1 5 4 - 20 pts
5. Holly Robson/Stella Robson (Maraetai Sailing Club) 6 7 (8) 6 5 7 5 - 36 pts
6. Jess Bettany/Tehya Harris (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 8 6 3 (12) 12 4 8 - 41 pts
7. Henry Meldrum/Patrick Kell (Bay of Islands Yacht Club) 4 5 4 13 (14) 6 11 - 43 pts
29er fleet (10 boats)
1. Will Leech (Charteris Bay Yacht Club)/William Mason (Wakatere Boating Club) 3 1 1 2 P10 (11OCS) 3 2 - 12 pts
2. Nelsen Meacham (Wakatere Boating Club)/Joe Leith (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 1 2 2 3 (11OCS) 1 4 - 13 pts
3. Hugo Smith/Louis Quere (Royal Akarana Yacht Club) 2 3 3 2 (11OCS) 2 1 - 13 pts
5. Bella Jenkins (Kohimarama Yacht Club)/Jess Handley (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) (5) 4 5 5 2 5 5 - 26 pts
6. Erin Kee/Isla Kee (Bay of Islands Yachtb Club) 4 5 6 6 (11OCS) 7 6 - 34 pts
9. Riley Hunter/Robyn Ashton (Northcote Birkenhead Yact Club) 7 9 8 9 (11DNC) 11DNC 11DNC - 55 pts
420 fleet (2 boats)
1. Cam Brown (Wakatere Boating Club)/Oli Stone (Kohimarama Yacht Club) 1 1 1 1 1 1 (2) - 6 pts
2. Thomas Jurczyluk (Wanaka Yacht Club)/Oli Wyeth (Wakatere Boating Club) (2) 2 2 2 2 2 1 - 11 pts
Full results here.
