MacKenzie Youth Match Racing Regatta Champion

by Jenni Bonnitcha/Lisa Ratcliff on 19 Nov 2007
In the closest of finishes, Will MacKenzie and his crew of Jamie Woods and Kyle Langford have won the 2007 Bavaria Yachts International Youth Match Racing Regatta 3-1 against the RNZYS’s Reuben Corbett, Bradley Farrand and Scott Burling.

MacKenzie fought all the way through the semis and finals from his fourth place in the round robins before taking the final race by half a spinnaker, sealing victory for the host club for the fifth consecutive year.

In today’s semis MacKenzie (CYCA) went up against Michael Thorpe (RNZYS) and Will Ryan (CYCA) sailed against Corbett (RNZYS). Both semis went to the maximum number of races.

There was a dramatic finish in the deciding Ryan vs Corbett race when Ryan, still carrying an outstanding penalty, gybed below Corbett to break the proper course restriction and then carted Corbett well away from, and beyond the pin finishing mark. Returning to the line Ryan tacked, exonerated his penalty, but caught his rudder on a loose buoyed-off anchor rope within several boat lengths of the line.

Ryan went on to finish third in the sail off for minor placings against Thorpe, again taking the result to the maximum number of races.

MacKenzie and his team, under the watchful eye of coach Dayne Sharp, were the big movers of the regatta. Scraping into the semis on a count back after the double round robin, the team’s crew work peaked in the finals. Bowman Kyle Langford said after the win, 'We were getting stronger each race and our confidence built. We always hoped to make the podium and you have to believe also that a win is within your grasp'.

MacKenzie, who this afternoon was thoroughly enjoying his first major match racing victory, agreed their crew work was a key ingredient.

'We had one training session as a new crew prior to this regatta and towards the end of the four days we just gelled,' said the delighted skipper who cut his teeth in Manly Junior’s and Flying 11’s.

RNZYS’s coach Guy Pilkington summed up the day and the regatta saying, 'The boats could have been tied together by a bit of string they were so close! A regatta of this level always lifts your game and the RNZYS youth have gained a lot to pass back into the [RNZYS youth] program'.

Sydney Harbour again showed its best with a good sea breeze and spring blue skies on a busy Sunday where the young match racers shared the waters with the 18 foot skiffs and Ben Lexcen’s beautifully restored Taipan which was re-launched today.

A number of CYCA Youth Sailing Academy sponsors were out enjoying front row finals seats including regatta sponsor Tony Kirby from Bavaria Yachts, who was out on a new 41 foot X-yacht, and Martin and Lisa Hill, sponsors of the winning Elliott 6 skippered by MacKenzie.

Full results available from http://www.cyca.com.au/sysfile/downloads/Bavaria_competitors_overall_placings_07.doc