NZ Women’s Match Racing Championships Day 1 lead to Hazard

by Sara Tucker on 5 Mar 2011 New Zealand Women’s Match Racing Championships 3rd to 6th March hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Stephanie Hazard and her crew of Jenna Hansen, Susannah Pyatt, Nichola Trudgen and Sara Winther, had a fantastic day on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour winning all 8 of their races and sit atop the leader board at the end of race day one.

Two round robins were completed meaning the five women’s teams raced each other twice, with one team having a bye each flight.

Race Officer Mike Best pushed hard to get two round robins in today, due to inclement weather conditions forecast for Saturday.

Hazard who at just 21 has tasted successes with her recent match racing regattas. She and her crew come to this event off the back of a win in last weekend’s Musto Wellington Match Race Cup hosted by the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club. Their team work from last weekend was used their advantage making clean sweeps in both round robins.

In second position overall with a total of 5 wins and 3 losses is Jessica McDowell (nee Smyth) who after a two year break from sailing has quickly proved she hasn’t lost her touch. In fact the 2009 NZ Women’s Match Racing Championships was the last event McDowell and her loyal crew competed at, which they won overall. McDowell also completed the double in 2009 winning the Women’s National Keelboat Championships, after which she purchased and now manages two gyms in Auckland but organisers and competitors were certainly glad to see her back racing this week!

McDowell’s three losses were to Hazard and third placed Olivia Powrie.

23 year old Powrie is part of the 420 pre-Olympic Squad but has been sailing the Elliott 7’s during the RNZYS Wednesday Evening Series 'I have been helming an Elliott 7 during the Wednesday Series and it’s been heaps of fun' commented Powrie.

Powrie lost to McDowell in Round Robin 1 by 7 seconds but bounced back in Round Robin 2 to take the win by 9 seconds. Powrie’s other losses were to Hazard and to Samantha Osborne.

Next overall is 24 year old Sam Osborne and her team who grabbed 3 wins and 4 losses from today’s racing. One win over Powrie, and wins over Danielle Bowater in both Round Robins.

Bowater and crew representing the RNZYS Lion Foundation Youth Training Programme had a tough day on the water and were unable to use their knowledge of the boats to their advantage. They will certainly be re-grouping tonight and back tomorrow looking to get some wins on the board.

The schedule for tomorrow (Saturday) begins with Flight One Round Robin 3 at 10.00am.

Round Robin One - Flight One
Osborne beat Bowater by 6s
McDowell beat Powrie by 7s
Hazard Bye
Flight Two
Hazard beat Bowater by 29s
Powrie beat Osborne by 1s
McDowell Bye
Flight Three
Hazard beat McDowell by 1m 3s
Powrie beat Bowater by 27s
Osborne Bye
Flight Four
McDowell beat Osborne by 46s
Hazard beat Powrie by 4s
Bowater Bye
Flight Five
McDowell beat Bowater by 17s
Hazard beat Osborne by 23s
Powrie Bye
Round Robin Two - Flight One
Hazard beat Osborne by 13s
McDowell beat Bowater by 2s
Powrie Bye
Flight Two
Hazard beat Powrie by 5s
McDowell beat Osborne by 3s
Bowater Bye
Flight Three
Powrie beat Bowater by 19s
Hazard beat McDowell by 30s
Osborne Bye
Flight Four
Osborne beat Powrie by 25s
Hazard beat Bowater by 8s
McDowell Bye
Flight Five
Powrie beat McDowell by 9s
Osborne beat Bowater by 15s
Hazard Bye

Current standings
Stephanie Hazard – 8 wins / 0 losses
Jessica McDowell – 5 / 3

Olivia Powrie – 4 / 4
Samantha Osborne – 3 / 5
Danielle Bowater – 0 / 8

For further information including crew lists, honour board of past winners and daily results, please visit the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron website.