Sailing to feature in AIMS Games from 2015

by Jodie Bakewell-White on 26 Aug 2014 For the first time sailing will feature in the NZCT AIMS Games in 2015 after a proposal made by Yachting New Zealand was accepted by the six Trustees of one of the largest sporting events in New Zealand.

The AIMS (Association of Middle and Intermediate Schools) Games, held annually in Tauranga gathers together 7,500 students (aged 11, 12 and 13 years) from 228 schools to compete in 17 different sports.

The 2015 AIMS Games will run from sixth – 11th September 2015. It is planned that the sailing format will be fleet racing in Optimist dinghies, and sailors must be a member of a yacht club affiliated to the national body, and a Year 7 or 8 student.

Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club will act as the organising authority playing a key role in delivering the sailing event as part of the AIMS Games.

Yachting New Zealand’s Chief Executive says, 'We’re absolutely delighted that sailing will be part of the AIMS Games starting in 2015.'

'Tauranga is a proven breeding ground for sailing talent having produced the likes of Peter Burling, the Saunders siblings, and the Meech siblings to name a few. Therefore it’s very fitting that sailing is added into the programme for this Bay of Plenty hosted event.'

Abercrombie continues, 'Being part of the AIMS Games will help to profile our sport to children aged 11-13 years, and their parents. We see it as a very positive thing and look forward to working together with the event organisers to make the sailing event a success.'

Yachting New Zealand collaborated with a number of organisations including the AIMS Games Tournament Director, the NZ International Optimist Dinghy Association and the Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club to put together a comprehensive proposal to introduce sailing into the AIMS Games programme.

For more information contact:

Hamish Hey, Yachting New Zealand Regional Support Officer
Tel. 021 433 531
Email. Hamish@yachtingnz.org.nz

Vicki Semple, AIMS Games Tournament Director
Tel. 0275 760 066
Email. vickis@sportbop.co.nz