P Class- Strong winds play havoc with Tanner and Tauranga Cups
by Sail-World on 11 Jan 2013
Leonard Takahashi-Fry winner of the tanner Cup for 2013 in Nelson SW
Leonard Takahashi-Fry, representing the Wanganui/Manawatu region won the 2013 Tanner Cup (for Interprovincial competition) when just four races were sailed before strong winds effectively closed the series.
The Tauranga Cup for open competition, was not able to complete a minimum series - and there is no Champion for 2013.
Both regattas were sailed in Nelson, and run by the Nelson Yacht Club.
In the Tanner Cup, Cameron Moss from North Harbour was second with Cole Rippey, from Bay of Plenty, third. Three races were sailed on Nelson Bay on Sunday in light northerly conditions, with Takahashi-Fry recording a clean sweep of race wins on Day 1.
On Monday sailors and race officials had to contend with a transition from northerly to southerly with shifts and gusts aplenty, making just one race possible before conditions deteriorated forcing an early end to racing.
Wellington’s George Gautrey won Monday’s race, with Takahashi-Fry placing third which was enough to win the Tanner Cup for 2013.
From the P-Class Facebook page:
Day 1: Today's racing was very trying for both race committee, sailors and support boats. A stiff SW was forecast but it was a lightish sea breeze that met the sailors as they left the Nelson 'cut'. Then it was close on 2 hours wait as the sea breeze and the SW fought for superiority with the fleet trapped in the middle with not enough consistent breeze to get a race under way. While this was happening calls were coming in from shore that there were 38knot winds inside the harbour.
The RO moved the fleet 1 nm further towards the sea breeze and quickly set up for a start. Shortly before the 5 minute signal the wind started shifting to the west making the beat close to a lay through and a port tack pin end start vital. The start went ahead and the fleet powered off on port towards mark 1. Lots of lulls and puffs and wind direction changes on the next legs until the SW really came in at 30+ knots as the fleet approached the bottom mark on a tight reach from mark 1.
Of the 12 boats, three made it to the finish line. Two non finishers were reinstated through redress appeals, one claiming second place after retiring due to a collision with a support boat and the other claiming fifth place from having been mistakenly instructed by a mark boat to return to shore.
An unfortunate way to end the 2013 Tanner Cup but you can only do what you can do with the conditions you get. That's what sailing is about.
Several of the skippers have moved across Cook Strait and will compete in the Starling North Islands at Muritai Yacht Club, Wellington.
Report on the Tauranga Cup from John Jennings:
No racing, no series, no Tauranga Cup. To my knowledge this will be first year no Tauranga Cup winner since inception other than a couple of war time years and a polio epidemic in 1948. Not sure what the options are for rescheduling nor the enthusiasm from the punters.
So Nelson turned on a charmer today, steady 30-40kts overnight, based on the noises I could hear outside, no abatement in the morning and into the bargain the sun disappeared to be replaced by overcast and low cloud. By 1400 when obvious a series couldn’t be completed most were packing up and just to top things off a torrential downpour ensued. Suffice to say with the passing of the rain, at almost bang on 1500, as abandonment was hoisted the breeze dropped.
One more meeting today to decide to bring prize giving forward to 1600 (so that’s Meetings 5, Races 1).
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