Entries surge for Nuplex North Islands

by Richard Gladwell on 20 Oct 2005 Entries have surged for the 2005 Nuplex North Island Starling and P-Class Championships.

The day before registration, Regatta Director, Mark Hatch confirmed that 150 boats had entered, and they expected more to turn up for registration on the 21st October. About 130 boats had been expected.

Staged by the New Plymouth Yacht Club, the regatta runs for three days, with three races being held each day, and two on the last. Ninety boats are expected to enter the Starling event , which is open age group, but will generally be made up of skippers who have graduated from the P-class and Optimist classes.

The P-class fleet will number about 60 boats.

Racing will be held over two courses in the same race area about 1.5km offshore in near open ocean out from Port Taranaki.

Both fleets will use a single start line, with the bigger Starling class sailing on the inner trapezoid, with its longer legs, and the P-class sailing an outer trapezoid course. The finishes will be to windward – making life slightly easier for race officials.

The event is being used a trial for the Nationals for both classes which will be staged in January 2006, and the Race Committee and Regatta Organisation for both events will be very similar. For the competitors the Nuplex North Islands will be a good opportunity to get the measure of the race area and officialdom.

Sail-World will be providing at least daily reports and results from the regatta.