Takahashi and Wilson surge on Day 2 of YDL NZ Matchracing

by Andrew Delves, RNZYS on 29 Sep 2017 RNZYS Performance Programme Skipper Leo Takahashi has surged up the Yachting Developments NZMRC leader-board after two solid wins from as many races today. With two fleet races to complete this morning, Takahashi and his RNZYS PP team of Josh Wijohn, Tim Snedden and Taylor Balogh, had a blinder on the water, blitzing the fleet and collecting two guns to move into fourth place overall.

As described by Leo, it was a huge improvement on what was an average day on Thursday – “We had a bit of a team debrief last night and realised we needed to step it up a level today. Starting was our biggest issue so we knew if we could improve there then we would be in a better position to win some races. We had two great starts today and got two wins so we’re pretty happy, that’s how you do it!”

Emirates Team New Zealand’s Andy Maloney kept up his good form in his final two fleet races today, collecting another race win, and a sixth place finish, leaving him at the top of the ladder heading into the Super 16 stage on Saturday - “We’ve really been using the last two days to get used to handling the Elliott 7’s, improving our jibes and getting around the course effectively. With the experience in our team we were confident we could get through the fleet racing, but the match racing is going to be a bigger challenge for us this weekend. We are going to take each day as it comes and keep learning as much as we can”.

The day’s biggest improver was RNZYS Youth Training Programme Skipper James Wilson who finds himself in second place overall after a first & second place finish this afternoon. Wilson was in sixth after the first day of racing, but the young skipper did not muck around today and is poised perfectly to progress as far as possible in this regatta.

This is Wilsons’ first NZMRC and his first Grade 2 event which he is handling very well. Asked why today was better than yesterday, the 18 year old YTP skipper had a few things to reflect on - “We played it much safer today, yesterday we were a bit too risky and were separating from the fleet. We had some good starts today too and they are really key in fleet racing. We are hoping to build on today and keep it consistent this weekend, stick to our plan and see how we go – it would be great to finish high and collect as many ranking points as possible”

Another one of our young YTP skippers, Sam Barnett, notched up a second place finish today to go with an eighth – enough to leave him in fifth position, a fantastic result after two days racing.

RNZYS Performance Programme Skippers Dave Hazard (3rd) and George Anyon (6th) were both an example of consistency today, with both skippers collecting two fourth place finishes in their respective fleets. This isn’t their first rodeo in the Elliott 7’s (graduates of the RNZYS YTP) so cementing their spots in the top six is probably right where they would expect themselves to be, both ready to push on this weekend and into the later stages of the regatta.

Frankie Dair from the Keri Keri Cruising Club, Graeme Sutherland (RNZYS PP), Samantha Norman and Nick Egnot-Johnson all had a harder day on the water, slipping down the leader-board slightly but they are still more than safely making their way into the weekends racing.

Dave Hazard, Graeme Sutherland and Andy Maloney, are also using this regatta to gear up for the China Cup in October where they will be sailing for RNZYS and the Yiihua Poker Team.
Other automatic qualifiers for the Super 16 included: Matthew Hughes (RNZYS YTP), Arnau Farras-Knowles and Patrick Harris.

The bottom six entered into a do-or-die repecharge this afternoon, with Irishman Colman O’Riordan (who was bottom of the pack after the fleet races) upset Australian Nick Rozenaurs (14th after the fleet racing) 2-0. Alistair Gilford took care of Jonathon Barnett 2-1, and Lachlan Grimwade took the W over James Jennings.

The Super 16 will get underway tomorrow at RNZYS, with Race Management hoping to progress as much as possible before finals day on Sunday.

Results after Day 2

1. Andy Maloney
2. James Wilson
3. Dave Hazard
4. Leonard Takahashi
5. Sam Barnett
6. George Anyon
7. Graeme Sutherland
8. Matthew Hughes
9. Frankie Dair
10. Samantha Norman
11. Nick Egnot-Johnson
12. Arnau Farras-Knowles
13. Patrick Harris
14. Alistair Gifford
15. Lachlan Grimwade
16. Colman O’Riordan