With hot, sunny days and strong, steady winds we couldn’t have asked for a better weekend for the 2015 Lawson’s Dry Hills New Year Regatta on Jan 10th and 11th . The fifty yachts and 266 crew that participated were treated to the best the Marlborough Sounds had to offer in both weather and racing.

Japan’s Hiroki Goto unusually showed emotion after taking out Race 8 in the Gold fleet Finals of the McDougall + McConaghy 2015 International Moth World Championship being hosted by the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club at Sorrento in Victoria. Peter Burling (NZL) continued his good run with third place in a dwindling north-nor ‘easterly wind that petered out to 2-3 knots. Race officials abandoned further racing for the day at the conclusion of Race 8 for the Gold fleet.

The Sydney Sailmakers crew of Nick Press and Andrew Stevenson are the 12ft Skiff Interdominion title holders for 2015 after leading the annual stoush between Australia and New Zealand from the get go to the end on the Sydney Harbour courses.

New Zealand’s Peter Burling reeled off four straight wins to take the lead on Day 2 of the McDougall + McConaghy 2015 International Moth World Championship on Port Phillip in Sorrento, Victoria, sounding the warning bell for the other 159 competitors.

Reigning Moth world champion, Nathan Outteridge (AUS) kick-started his defence in style, getting the early jump at the McDougall + McConaghy 2015 International Moth World Championship which started on Port Phillip in Sorrento, Victoria today. Outteridge, the 2012 Olympic 49er gold medallist skipper, fired off two bullets and a fourth (his drop) on the first day of the Qualifying series to take an early lead. Peter Burling (NZL), the 2012 Olympic silver medallist skipper, who fellow Moth competitor Tom Slingsby forewarned would be the biggest threat for the series some weeks ago, is in second place after scoring 7-2-1 results, while Outteridge’s 49er gold medallist crew, Iain Jensen, is third. The top three are each separated by one point.

Four kiwi 420 crews are in Fremantle Western Australia lining up against their Aussie counter-parts in a double-header in the youth double handed class – the Australian 420 National Championships, which wrapped up on January 3rd is closely followed by the Australian Youth National Championships which gets underway today.

With the arrival of better weather, there are now some results to report.

The Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club (SSCBC) has received a record 165 entries for the McDougall + McConaghy 2015 International Moth World Championship due to be sailed in the popular seaside town of Sorrento from 9-16 January, 2015, on Port Phillip.

The Sydney Sailmakers crew of Nick Press/Andrew Stevenson was pushed hard today by New Zealand’s Chris Reid/Andrew Clarke aboard Little Bus, who are hoping to nudge the Aussies from atop the podium in the 12ft Skiff Interdominion being held on Sydney Harbour this week.

While in Auckland for the Volvo Yachting New Zealand Excellence Awards in November, the 5 Yachting New Regional Support Officers took the opportunity to learn more about inclusive sailing.