Auckland Grammar win NZ Secondary Schools Team Sailing Champs

by Gay Noyer on 30 Apr 2017 A record thirty-six teams competed at the 2017 Secondary Schools Team Sailing National Championships held at Sandspit Yacht Club, Algies Bay, during the last week of April.

Teams came from as far away as Wanaka and the Cook Islands.

Generally, fine weather and light to moderate winds prevailed for the week, allowing the completion of 3 round robins each for the Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets – 635 races, including repechages.

The teams were initially ranked in to three fleets, with repechages at the end of the first two round robins, to enable teams to progress up or down the ladder, with a system of regatta points being used, enabling all results to be utilised.

Auckland Grammar sailed steadily throughout all round robins and maintained their composure to win the last and deciding race, taking out the top spot and the Maersk Zealand Trophy. Previous winner, Kerikeri High School placed second, with Kristin School winning the Bronze medal. The top of the Gold Fleet was always going to be a closely fought contest, judging by the results of the lead-up regional regattas held during summer tournament week. The other contenders for the top spots were Wentworth College fourth, Westlake Boys High fifth and Marlborough College sixth.

The first girls team was Napier Girls High School, who competed in the Silver Fleet.

Silver Fleet was won by New Plymouth Boys, followed by Rarotonga Sailing Club, with Wellington Combined in third. The top of Bronze was won by Mahurangi College, followed by Nelson College for Girls and New Plymouth Girls High. The top three open and top three girls’ teams will hopefully, be available to sail against their Australian counterparts at the annual Interdoms, to be held later this year in Australia.

Some of the racing stats were that 36 teams raced, approx. 250 students were on the water for 5 ½ days, more than 50 coaches, umpires and race management assisted. Forty-two 420’s sailed continuously and the hooter sounded more than 6,985 times on the water.

For further reports, full results and fantastic photos visit the website www.nzteamsailing.co.nz