RNZYS Youth Team for Governor's Cup Regatta in Balboa, USA

by Sara Tucker on 21 Jul 2015 The RNZYS has announced this year’s team to attend the 49th Governor’s Cup Regatta is Leonard Fry (helm), George Anyon (main), Logan Andresen (bow) with Coach/Training Manager Guy Pilkington.

Starting on Thursday, this annual youth match racing regatta is held at the Balboa Yacht Club, California and is the first International event for this year’s Youth Training Programme squad.

Leonard Fry is a second year helmsman in the Youth Training Programme and both George Anyon and Logan Andresen are three year members both currently helming.

The 12 teams competing at this year’s Governor’s Cup, 6 International and 6 from within the US, will go head to head over the next five days through a Round Robin, Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals finishing on Saturday.

Coach Guy Pilkington has attended as coach of the youth team for the past 9 years; “It’s a great regatta to attend, the Squadron has had a long association with Balboa Yacht Club and I look forward to taking a team each year. This will be Leonard’s first time helming at this event but George travelled as crew last year and Logan has competed at many match racing events. We also have a second team travelling with us helmed by Lucas Chatonnier who is sailing for his home yacht club, Cercle Nautique Calédonien, with his crew of Matthew Kempkers and Josh Wijohn. Also YTP Graduate Alex Burrow is sailing for Del Rey Yacht Club. Both our teams have put in a lot of hours training in the Elliott 7’s over the past few months and we are all looking forward to the event.”

The regatta is sailed in the fleet of Andrews designed Gov’s Cup 21’s. The regatta is traditionally a light airs event coupled with large ocean swells raced in the waters off Newport Beach, California.

The RNZYS Youth Training Programme first attended the Governor’s Cup Regatta in August 1988 and was the first international yacht club to enter with skipper John Bilger and crew Carla Holgate (nee Bennett) and Ian Vickers; the team finished an admirable 4th overall.

The following two years the regatta was won by the RNZYS teams which cemented the youth programme as a breeding ground for training match racing champions. The 1989 event was won by Mark Christensen, Morgan Trubovich and Clinton Newbury with the win being deemed 'historic' as the team only had two losses throughout the entire series. This win was then backed up the following year by another as Mark Christensen returned as coach in 1990 with the team of Kelvin Harrap, Gavin Brady and Stu Clarke.

The RNZYS has since won the regatta at total of six times, which is also the most for an international yacht club at this event.

1995 winners Andrew Estcourt, Kylie Jameson (nee Hogg) and Cameron Appleton.
2001 winners Simon Minoprio, Ryan Houston and David Ferris.
2009 winners Will Tiller, Harry Thurson and Shaun Mason.
2010 winners Will Tiller, Harry Thurston and Shaun Mason.

History of the Governor's Cup Regatta
The Governor's Cup Regatta was established at Balboa Yacht Club, California, by Chet and Glee Purcell in 1967 after receiving the Deed of Gift from the then Governor of California, President Ronald Reagan. With the Governor's permission a perpetual trophy was established and the first race series was held in August 1967. 2017 will be the 50th Annual Governor’s Cup Regatta.

More information view the event website for full results, press releases and photos visit the event website www.balboayachtclub.com and follow our Facebook page for updates https://www.facebook.com/RnzysYouthTrainingProgramme