RNZYS Win 2015 NZ Youth Match Racing National Championships
by Tim Coltman on 9 Oct 2015
Tim_Coltman_RNZYS winning team of Logan Anderson, George Anyon and Josh Wijohn Lloyd Images
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Eight teams from around New Zealand lined up to compete for the Warren 'Wolfie' Williams Memorial Cup and the title of NZ youth match racing champion.
This year the line-up featured a strong and diverse field with three teams from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland, one team from Naval Point Club Lyttleton in Christchurch, one team from Queen Charlotte Yacht Club in Picton and three teams from the home club the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club.
Wellington's spring weather conditions didn't cooperate on day one and two with gale force winds of 30-40 knots keeping the teams ashore.
Day three finally saw some lighter winds and this allowed Ken Burt and his race team to get away 14 flights in a moderate southerly breeze. Racing was very tight right throughout round robin one with plenty of lead changes and close finishes.
It came down to the final race between RNYZS’s George Anyon and RNZYS’s Lucas Chatonnier to determine who would take the top spot. After a very tight start and first beat Anyon and his team of Logan Anderson and Josh Wijohn sailed a strong downwind leg to overtake Chatonnier and claim the victory leaving them in the lead on six wins and one loss.
Day four was a case of deja vu with a very strong northerly forecast to build all day. With a small window to get racing done the decision was made to go straight to the finals and petit finals with seeding based on the results from round robin one. This saw a Auckland vs Wellington showdown in the finals between George Anyon and the RPNYC team skippered by William Eastman.
In the petit finals it was to be an all RPNYC affair with Eliza Wilkinson and her all girls crew to race Oakely Marsh and his team. Unfortunately just as the teams were ready to leave the dock the breeze increased and reluctantly the RO pulled the pin on racing resulting in George Anyon and his RNZYS team taking the national title.
1st George Anyon (RNZYS)
2nd William Eastman (RPNYC)
3rd Eliza Wilkinson (RPNYC)
4th Oakley Marsh (RPNYC)
5th Lucas Chatonnier (RNZYS)
6th Daniel Smith (NPCL)
7th Stephanie Kirkman (RNZYS)
8th Nick Gardiner (QCYC)
For full results from Round Robin 1
click here
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