Tanner and Tauranga Cups and Starling nationals underway in Whangarei

by Event Media on 19 Jan 2009
Due to our Australian excursion, Sail-World has a little behind the Eight Ball with our coverage of the P and Starling Class Nationals (not that we were sent anything either, and don't have photos for the same reason.)

The following are the official reports from the regatta so far, along with the official results for the Starlings.

P class results are in a separate story.

Updates each day following, from now on (we hope).


Three championships are underway in Whangarei, Northland - the Tauranga Cup, the P Class National Championships, and the Starling National Champs.

The day started with a showery SW as the 54 P Class headed out on to the start line with the 120 Starlings. For the first time these two contests are being run at the same time on the same water. A spectacular confusion of boats. Both big and small, left a lot of people wondering how it would all be sorted out.

The P Class started their Invitation Race first. The boats that struck out to the right hand lay line came through to the windward mark. The two Starling fleet has been split into two 60 boat fleets and they started one after the other separated by 10 minutes. The competitors had it all sorted, and after only one general recall the fleet took off up the windward beat. The first of three big squalls to hit the fleets came through just as the P Class fleet was heading towards the finish. The best gust was 37 knots!!! (At least the patrol boat crews got a freshwater wash!!).

The P Class race had only eight finishers. Gareth Moore (Waimakariri) led the fleet home.

The P Class were then sent in as the Starlings kept still racing.

Race one of the Tauranga Cup was started a little later as the breeze settled in at 20 to 25 knots. Gareth Moore picked up from the practice race and lead from start to finish. Oscar Rorvik (Tauranga) chased him home for second, with Andrew McKenzie (Kohimaramara) third. The P Class were then sent to the beach as the third squall threatened on the horizon. The third race the P Class was the last start of the day. The breeze had settled down and the gusts were further between them. Gareth Moore once again lead the fleet for most of the race until the 25 knots and fatigue finally wore him down, along with several capsizes, to let Oscar in for a win, Andrew second, Erica Dawson (Murray's Bay) third and William Talbot (Naval Point 4th).

The Starlings had some amazing sailing as they continued to race through all of the wind. Chris Steele (Wakatere) dominated the blue fleet with 3 wins, often by a minute or so!!, Samuel Mackenzie (Kohimaramara) had a mortgage on second place not letting anyone else in, Kagen Weeks (Napier) showed some great skills with a 3,7,3 result for the day. In the Yellow Fleet there was a mix of winners. Leading on the first day was Marcus Hansen (Whangarei) with 1,2,1 results, Thom Saunders (Tauranga) had a bent mast in the first race but still managed a 5th, then followed this with a win and a 2nd. Scott Barnes (Murrays Bay) had a 3,3,6 day to hold third place in the yellow fleet. The fleets are now re-enginered for tomorrows racing.

There were several bent masts and a few ripped sails to show for a huge day on the water. Molly Meech (Tauranga) spotted a Moro Bar near the top mark in the first race, picked it up and had some extra sustenance for a 12, 4, 9 day and 11th after the first day.

Day 2

P Class and Starling Nationals.

Race day two dawned with NW rain blowing across the Parua Bay course. By start time of 11 am the rain had stopped but there was 15 to 20 knots of SW blowing and some spectacular sailing conditions. The P Class stared the first of their last three races. The four top boys relishing the fresh conditions. Sam Mackay (Hawkes Bay) lead the race from start to finish. Beating home Andrew Mackenzie (Auckland) and Gareth Moore (Canterbury).

BOP’s Oscar Rorvik had a broken vang and retired. The contest was now wide open. The second race started with 15 knots of SW again. On the second beat Auckland and Canterbury got a big left hand lift and left HawkesBay and BOP to battle it out for third. In an awesome capsize, (Caught on camera) Hawkes Bay ripped his sail but managed to slip in for 4th place. The third and final race for the day was started in 20 knots of SW.

Hawkes Bay had changed their sail and ended up off the pace. The same three boats battled around the course with the lead changing several times. BOP came through on the final down wind to win the race and the Tanner Cup. 1,1,2,3, DNF,3,1,23pts. Hawkes Bay was second with 2,2,1,DSQ,1,5,4 27pts. Canterbury also had 15 points but was third on countback with 4,3,6,1,2,2,3. The biggest gust of the day was just under 30 knots!!!

The starling match racing completed the round robins series in 15 to 20 knots. Thomas Saunders (Bay of Plenty) won the round robin 12 wins/0 losses. Chris Steele (North Harbour) 11/1, the ever improving Grant Hamilton (Northland) had 9/3 result and the final semi finalist was Josh Edmonds (Marlborough). The semi finals went to form in two races. BOP beat Marlborough and North Harbour ahead of Northland.

The finals races were two evenly matched races with very close racing and the lead changing during the race. The first finals race Chris Steele lead Thom Saunders around all the marks and then 50m from the finish Thom slipped through during a couple of gybes to 'Win by a whisker'. The next two races Thom cornered Chris on the starline and controlled the races from start to finish.

In the play off for third and fourth, the first two races went each way, with the boat off the startline controlling the race, including penalties being taken on the finish line!! Grant had a great start and lead from start to finish in the final race to take third place.

Day 3

Harken Interprovincial P Class champs.

Day One Tanner Cup.

A fantastic hot sunny day greeted the 11 competitors as they hit the water.

15Knot Sw moved through to a 5 to 7 knot Southerly by the end of the day.

Oscar Rorvik (BOP) lead the first race of the day, and stayed clear of the fleet. He was chased home by Sam Mackay (Hawkes Bay). The second race and the breeze dropped a little but produced the same result as race one. Race three saw the fleet split two ways and a southerly change, the top boats were caught and sent tumbling down the fleet. The three lap format saw BOP and HB come back to lead again. The wind went light for the final race. Canterbury’s Gareth Moore, one of the heaviest competitors showed his class by coming through to win the race. With Taylor Burn (Marlborough) finishing second.

Results after 4 races. There are three more races scheduled for tomorrow.

Oscar Rorvik BOP 1,1,2,3 (7 Points)

Gareth Moore Cant 4,3,6,1 (14 points)

Taylor Burn Marl 5,5,3,2 (15 points)

Starling Match Racing.

Defending champion Thomas Saunders has had a great start to his contest. After 10 rounds of 13 to be sailed he has not lost a race. Local Northland sailor Grant Hamilton , sailing a boat he built himself over the winter, is on 8 wins. Chris Steele from North Harbour has also had a great day on 7 wins. Gye Simkin (Taranaki) has come from nowhere and has had a blinder of a day also on 7 wins.

They have three more rounds tomorrow before the fleet heads into semi finals.