Dawson takes Zenza Women’s National Keelboats

by Tash Paget, Royal Akarana YC on 3 Apr 2007 Top match racer, Jan Dawson was a convincing winner of the 2007 Zenza Women’s National Keelboat Championships sailed off the Royal Akarana Yacht Club in the weekend.

This year's event was held on the Waitemata Harbour, Auckland. Eight teams of 7 ladies competed in 10 extremely close windward – leeward races, using the Farr MRX’s.

Organisers and sailors were fortunate that the rain held off for most of the regatta. With the exception of a few races had a reasonable breeze between 6 - 12 knots. However the conditions were very shifty, which not only kept the tactitions on their toes but also the race committee who had plenty of course changes to do to keep up with the wind shifts.

Well done to Fred Price and his team who did an amazing job of setting the race course.

This years competition was very tight, with the top five boats proving that anyone of them could of taken the title, with line wins being well shared – but it came down to who was the most consistent and Jan Dawson and her crew took the title of NZ Woman’s National Keelboat Champs for 2007.

There was a close battle between second and third, with Sally Garrett and her crew one point ahead of defending champion Karleen Dixon.

And the same went for 4th and 5th place, again with only one point between Melissa Rossaak and Amber West.

A huge thank you to the Major Sponsor, Zenza a brand by Essence Lingerie, who supplied 1st, 2nd and 3rd placegetters with NZ Merino Wool Thermals. Also to crew.org, Chelsea, ASB, Random House NZ, Lion Nathan and MRX Yachting.

Next year’s event is already being planned and we have huge plans to make it bigger and better and to raise the profile of New Zealand Women’s Yachting.