Ninety sailors compete in Masters Games in Otago

by Martin Balch & Alec Knewstubb on 10 Feb 2006 Day 1

A quiet opening day for the 90+ participants with fine weather and light northerly winds on Otago Harbour for day one of the Masters Yachting events. With stronger winds forecast for day 2, racing is likely to be tougher for the remaining four races of the series.

Several of the classes had reduced fleets. The Zephyr class saw its normally strong fleet severely depleted by the class's 50th National Champs; the Farr 6000's were also also depleted by their National Champs at Lyttleton, while most of the local Hobie 16s were away at Aviemore. The Sunbursts fleet was also down somewhat, with their South Island Champs being held at Lyttleton. Often considered merely a learner's boat, the Sunburst has a strong adult following in Otago, as usual bolstered for the Masters' by a good contingent from Canterbury.

In the Topper fleet, Gerard Davis in Rose Marie made a strong start winning both races sailed; as did Ross Jones and crew from Alexandra sailing Tatopani in the Farr 6000 class; Murray Grimwood ( Otago Yacht Club Commodore) in the Paper Tigers; Mark Preddy and Wayne Muntz from Balclutha in the Hobie 16’s; and Branko Sinja's Noelex 22 Ten Speed in the Trailer Yacht Open division.

The Sunburst class with the largest fleet (17) on the water provided the most exciting racing with competition at the top of the fleet very tight. Roy Roker and Jim Godfrey won the battle for the first race but were then swallowed in the pack finishing fifth in the second race; leaving light airs master Peter Nees with Peter Wood in Rek Rap with a second and a first to take over the overall lead from Craig McEwan and Jean Sutherland sailing Kalyara.


Day 2

Gusty southerly conditions with a strong squall just as race three started, made life interesting for the 44 yachts on Otago Harbour for Sunday's races 3 and 4 of the six-race Masters' Games series.

After four of the six races, crews in three of the classes almost had the gold medals in their grasp. In the Zephyr class, the senior citizen of the series, Bren Nelson from Macandrew Bay couldn't be beaten. The Dunstan Farr 6000 crew led by Ross Jones, with Mark Bremner and Kevin Read, had 4 from 4; while Branko Sinja and Mike Harris in the open trailer yacht division from Balclutha also have a perfect record.

The Laser division was neck and neck, with past titleholder local skipper Neil Morris in Alien starting well; winning both races on the first day. But a third in Sunday morning's first race dropped him to a close second behind Alan Fraser sailing Slip.

The Topper class was even tighter with Gerard Davis in Rose Marie holding the lead on count back from Macandrew Bay's Neil George in Luna Rosa, both skippers lying on 7 points.
Again, the largest class on the water, the Sunburst division, held the real excitement, both the visual impact on the water and in the battle for the lead. With the 15 to 20 knots of breeze, some wonderful rides - and a few spills - were had. Craig McEwan and Jean Sutherland from the Otago Yacht Club in Kalyara came from behind to take a narrow lead over Peter Nees and Peter Wood in Rekrap. Rekrap, the overnight leader, faded slightly with a fifth place in the last race, while Dunstan’s Murray Shanks and Bryan Hall in Eagle are chasing hard in third place with Roy Roker and Jim Godfrey in Beverley Ailsa just one point behind in fourth.

Day 3

A building north-easterly breeze provided ideal conditions for the third and final day of the Masters Games regatta at the Otago Yacht Club in Dunedin.

In the Zephyr division, the oldest competitor attending - Macandrew Bay’s Bren Nelson - had to do little more than sail the course to take away the gold. And sail the course he did, in fine style, despite having had to withdraw from race 2 to officiate at a wedding.

The Topper division saw the overnight leader, Gerard Davis fade in the final races to allow class stalwart and clubmate Neil George through for the Gold, with Davis close on his tail with the Silver medal and Morris Hall in Vauxhall Flyer the bronze.

Just missing the trifecta for Macandrew Bay, Neil Morris started strongly in the Laser division but was overhauled by the very consistent Alan Fraser in Slip, leaving Morris to take the Silver medal again, with Broad Bay’s Allan Potter in Deja Vu taking away the Bronze.

Murray Grimwood from the Otago Yacht Club comfortably took the Gold in the Paper Tigers; while the Hobie 16 honours went to Owaka’s Mark Preddy with Wayne Muntz from Riverton crewing.

Owaka crews also dominated the Open Trailer Yacht division with Branko Sinja and Mike Harris taking their Noelex 22 Ten Speed to the front in all six races of the series.

In the Farr 6000 divisions, the Central Otago crew of Tatopani completed their climb up the ladder of Masters' success, bronze at their first effort, silver last time in 2004, and a strong gold performance this year. Robert Todd in Sceptre won the battle for the Silver medal from Dunedin’s William Early in Pepper, ably crewed by Christine & Robert Glasson from Australia (their bronze medals will have to be posted over, they were on a flight home within an hour of finishing the race).

All regatta, the closest racing was in the two person Sunburst dinghies, with the final day just as exciting. Four crews from the seventeen entered dominated the top of the field with Dunedin team Craig McEwan and Jean Sutherland dominating the final two days racing to eventually take the Gold medal comfortably, but not without some fine battles on the water. Peter Nees and Peter Wood, always to be watched in tricky winds, were consistent to take the Silver, with the Alexandra team of Murray Shanks and Bryan Hall recovering from a mishap with one of the Toppers to take the bronze, with the first race winner, Roy Roker and Jim Godfrey just missing the medals.
There was even radio-controlled yachting, match races being hotly contested during after-race socialising at the clubhouse. Unfortunately no-one had actually entered, so no medals could be awarded - but having had a taste, there's certain to be plenty of entries next time.

And with the 2004 Games over - at least as far as yachting goes - planning is already under way for the next NZ Masters' regatta . And the sailing is only part of it; some 700 competitors are taking part this year, with 84 sports from athletics to scrabble and triathlon to dancing; all based at a 'games village' at Otago University. Check out the Games website: www.nzmg.com. If you're over 40 (35 for women) we'd love to see you here in 2006.

Results: www.yachtingnz.org.nz/Otago_Yachting_Assn