NZL Oceanbridge results predict an interesting season for the 29er’s

by David Kayrouz on 13 Feb 2017 Fifteen 29ers competed over Auckland’s anniversary weekend in a range of conditions that ended in a light shuffle round the track.

Since the NZ Youth trials and Youth Worlds held at the end 2016 uncertainty as to the next Youth Worlds has prompted several crews to reform bringing some newcomers to this exciting class.

Hosted at the revamped Murray’s Bay Yacht club, this 2017 NZL Oceanbridge Regatta, was won by the new combination of past champs Francesco Kayrouz and Jackson Keon in boat 2267. Their win was hotly contested right to the wire with second place going to Seb Lardies and Scott McKenzie in boat number 7, the position this well oiled crew achieved in the 29er Open World's held in Holland last year.

Nosing out of the pack to finish third were the Paterson brothers, Ben and Sean in boat 2398. Revelling in the light of conditions they produced some great boat speed managing a gun in one of the races. A second gun possibility was aborted as while leading the pack they ran for the finish from the bottom mark on two laps instead of three. Despite this detour they took out a third in that race. Having been distracted by a lost nut on the mast trapeze wire just before the race they missed the course board instructions.

First time helm, Blake McGlashan, the recent double winner of the P class Nationals Tanner and Tauranga cups in Plimmerton this year, has teamed up with Tom Fyfe making great first impression to take a race gun and place sixth overall.

In the girls stakes first place went to Emma French and Zelda Ladefoged in 2393 also taking a race gun. We must clearly guess Zelda has shaken off the trauma of being dragged full speed by the leg from a kite sheet in the Worlds last year! Kerensa Jennings, also new to this class, pulled off a second in 2268 with Saffron Nixon followed by Crystal Sun and Olivia Hobbs in 2394.

The class remains in good form and promises to offer some great class completion this coming year. For aspiring 29er crews the association plans to run a ‘Have a go day’ on March the fourth at Murray’s Bay Sailing Club where eager sailors can try out the class with some of these folks.