Young gun Kiwi board sailors about to take on New Caledonians
by Brian Haybittle on 1 Nov 2012
Kiwi and New Caledonian sailors. "Vote wind surfing ISAF!" Brian Haybittle
Five junior NZ Sailors are in Noumea, New Caledonia training and about to compete in the New Caledonia Youth Windsurf racing Competition.
are racing on Bic Techno T293 one design race boards. All are enjoying the warm waters of Baie de Santa-Marie. For over five years young windsurfers have visited here to race Technos. NZ Olympians have all done some winter training here over the years.
French Olympic RS:X sailor, Sam Launay and Manu Goyard have been hosting a fantastic clinic. The skills learnt from the fast New Caledonians will stand them in good stead for the rest of the NZ sailing season. They have learnt rig tuning, sub planning and planning modes, mark roundings. There have been plenty of practice races. Also a destination sail around Lle Uéré. The locals do love their siestas around lunch time and usually don't get on the water until 2pm. Usually coinciding with a 15-25kts sea breeze on flat water. The ACPV club has fantastic facilities with lockers for boards and rigs. Most Techno Sailors here have access to the adoptedFrench Federation one design RRD 'Firerace' 120l slalom board. This they sail with a two cambered sail or techno rig. Very fast.
Racing starts on Friday through to Sunday with up to six races a day. 14 year old Murrays Bay sailor Patrick Haybittle has been on his fourth sailing visit to New Caledonia and second time attending the windsurfing Nationals. He has previously won the New Caledonia Optimist Dinghy competition in 2010. A double in a different class would be special. His 12 year old sister Carmen, 14 year olds, Fenella Bowater, Naval Point and Coral Headey, Tauranga and 11 year old William Clough from Wakatere are on their first overseas trip as competitors. Also on the same body of water will be the New Caledonian Match Racing competition. Chris Steele and his RNZYS Team are competing against the Aussies and New Caledonians.
All the current Techno sailors are disappointed that windsurfing has been dropped from the Olympics. Even more shocking is the current OSAF vote. Most can't fathom the politics of ISAF. The Techno and RS:X Association are hoping a revote in November at the annual ISAF meeting revisits the issue in a positive way for the established sport of windsurfing. Windsurfing has a great pathway from junior Bic Techno one design racing, youth RS:X and then Olympic RS:X.
has not been shown in Kiteboarding racing in NZ with any junior or youth kiteboarding racing participation. The kiwi kids love the speed, physicality and relaxed camaraderie their Technos offers them. Proof of this is the current Techno Worlds and Europeans had more sailors attending than one design Optimists. The Techno has proven to be the Optimist of windsurfing. A bullet proof board that can be sailed in 3-25kts with one design equipment and sails.
Learn to windsurf maybe available through your local sailing club. Initial 20 hours training usually through a windsurfing school and then learn to windsurf race at the local sailing club. Contact Brian Haybittle 021 112 9556 for more information.
Facts:
Techno sailing is for aged 11-17
Biggest one design international regattas.
Techno is great beginner intermediate board for planning and sub-planning.
Sailed at North Shore clubs. Manly, Murray's Bay, and Wakatere.
Web sites:
http://techno.windsurfingnz.org/
www.facebook.com/RSXandTechnoNZ
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