| Briefings - 6 March 2008
Contents:
- From NZOC: Youngest Sailors Follow in Veteran’s Footsteps
- Sailing… Have a Go! visits Stewart Island
- The South Pacific Cup
- Olympic Nomination
- Wellington launches pilot Talent Development Programme
- Tornado World Championship
- BMW Auckland Regatta Week
- Yachting Quarterly Autumn Issue out now
- Women’s Laser Radial Worlds
- NZL Yachting Trust continues support of IRC
- Two-handed sailors welcomed into Napier
- Elliot 5.9 Nationals
- YNZ Submission on the ARC Navigation Safety Bylaws
- OKI 24 hour race: the short version
- Club Scene: Pleasant Point Yacht Club
- Coaching & Instructing: Courses & Seminars
- New Logbook and Learn to Sail Quizzes
- YNZ website: Call for feedback…
From NZOC: Youngest Sailors Follow in Veteran’s Footsteps
The youngest sailors ever to represent New Zealand at an Olympic Games have been selected to the New Zealand Olympic Team to Beijing 2008.
Carl Evans and Peter Burling are New Zealand’s top 470 performers and were named to the team today.
At just 17 years old the pair has impressed selectors with a string of top performances at all the recent major international events. Most recently they finished 11th at the 2008 470 World Championships in Melbourne. The pair stepped up to the 470 class less than twelve months ago from the 420 where they were reining World Champions.
The first members of the yachting team to Beijing 2008 were selected in October 2007 and included veteran Board sailor, Barbara Kendall. At 40, Barbara is heading for her fifth Olympic Games with a twenty-three year head start on Evans and Burling.
Seasoned yachtsmen Hamish Pepper (36) and Carl Williams (26) in the Star Class also had their Beijing spots confirmed. Beijing 2008 will be Pepper’s third Olympic Games behind Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004. Pepper and Williams won the Star World Championships in 2006.
New Zealand Olympic Selector, Barry Maister, is delighted at the latest selections to the New Zealand Olympic Team. “There are now 16 New Zealanders confirmed for Beijing and all have shown selectors they’re capable of a top performance at Beijing,” he said. “We’re building a strong team of close to 300 athletes and support staff that will make New Zealanders proud at Beijing this August.”
Des Brennan, Chief Executive of Yachting New Zealand, welcomed the latest announcements and has his sights set on a strong performance in Qingdao from the New Zealand yachting team in five months time. “We have remained true to nominating only sailors who are genuine medal prospects,” said Brennan. “We have a very exciting team.”
Sailors David Barnes and Murray Jones were both 18 when they were members of the yachting team for Montreal in 1976. However, they were both selected as reserves and neither actually competed at these Olympic Games. Bruce Kendall turned 20 in June 1984 before competing in boardsailing at Los Angeles 1984 just a few weeks later – winning bronze in the Windglider Class.
New Zealand’s youngest Olympian was swimmer Rebecca Perrott who was 15 years old when she competed at Montreal in 1976.
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Sailing… Have a Go! visits Stewart Island
Every child and many community members of Stewart Island will get a rare sailing opportunity next week. Yachting New Zealand's Sailing… Have a Go! will reach its southern most destination ever crossing Foveaux Straight on March 11th 2008, staying on the island for a full week.
All of Halfmoon Bay School’s 20 students will try sailing as well as many students from Clinton School who are on the island for school camp. Over the weekend Yachting New Zealand Instructor, Darren Field will also run the sailing sessions for community members, with assistance from the Bluff Yacht Club.
“We are very proud of Sailing...Have a Go! and the wonderful opportunity it offers young people to experience sailing,” said Des Brennan, Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive. “It is an acknowledgement of Sir Peter Blake and his vision. I am sure that Sir Peter would have been delighted to know that the programme had reached Stewart Island, with its wonderful natural environment.”
Sailing… Have a Go! is a mobile programme which has three units travelling throughout New Zealand. Each trailer unit contains nine beginner sailing dinghies including Optimists and Topper Tazs providing children the chance to sail single-handed or with a friend. A qualified instructor manages each Sailing… Have a Go! trailer teaching a variety of customised programmes most suited to Year 6, 7 & 8 children.
The one day challenge allows for twelve children to have a fun day at a local yacht club learning a few basics ashore before taking to the water under the watchful eye of the instructor. Those keen to go further after the Sailing… Have a Go! day are introduced to the local yacht club or learn to sail programme.
Since the launch of Sailing… Have a Go! in early 2006 more than 5000 children from all around New Zealand have taken part.
Yachting New Zealand acknowledges the generous support of the Lion Foundation and the Team New Zealand 2000 Trust in the launch of Sailing… Have a Go! For this event, the Rakiura Shipping Company will be generously transporting the trailer across Foveaux Straight free of charge.
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The South Pacific Cup
Yachting has a new international challenge team trophy – the South Pacific Cup. It will be launched at this year’s 25th Anniversary Edition of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, which will be staged from August 23 to 30.
Initially it should see teams of three yachts from Australia and New Zealand racing for recognition as the top ocean racing nation at the regatta, however interest in taking part has also been expressed from groups in the USA, England and Hong Kong for future years. It is likely that some of these international owners will charter local yachts instead of shipping their boats to Australia.
On Monday evening, 3 March 2008, Yachting New Zealand’s KORC committee endorsed the decision to send one or more three-boat-teams to Hamilton Island August 2008. A group of three chaired by Ray Haslar, will select the New Zealand representatives.
They will be using “season’s performance in regattas to date”, as well as the IRC Nationals to be held in Auckland in April 2008. RNZYS will be conducting the IRC Nationals, so any boat wishing to represent New Zealand must be competing. The Notice of Race will be forthcoming.
Enthusiasm for the South Pacific Cup is building in New Zealand. Ray Haslar, one of our most prominent offshore yachtsmen and a former ‘New Zealand Sailor of the Year’, is propelling the concept.
“It’s more than 20 years since New Zealand sent a national team to Australia for an international series, so what better way to get things going again than with the South Pacific Cup at Hamilton Island,” Haslar said. “We have some very good yachts lining up for our team and we are expecting some excellent racing to decide the holder of the cup.”
More details on New Zealand selection information will be published as soon as possible on the Yachting New Zealand website.
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Olympic Nomination
Yachting New Zealand announces that no Olympic nominations will be made to the New Zealand Olympic Committee in either the 470 Women’s or the Yngling class for inclusion in the 2008 Olympic sailing team.
Yachting New Zealand has closely monitored the key selection regattas in both of these classes and has deemed that a sufficiently high standard has not been reached and therefore no nominations will be made.
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Wellington launches pilot Talent Development Programme
Wellington Yachting Association has launched a pilot Talent Development Programme that in future will become a model for other regional associations.
Youth sailors from the Wellington region who are internationally campaigning will have the opportunity to be included in the pilot programme which has been made possible with support from the Wellington City Council, the New Zealand Academy of Sport and Yachting New Zealand.
It is envisaged that this programme developed in Wellington will provide a base model for other regional associations to implement talent development programmes for youth age sailors in their areas.
Developing performance goals, strength and conditioning, nutrition, bio mechanics and on-water coaching are all part of the programme which aims to improve sailors under 21 years of age to a level where they have the potential to one day be selected for the Yachting New Zealand Youth and High Performance programmes or to achieve international success on the youth match racing circuit.
To view details about the Wellington Yachting Association Talent Development Programme click the link below and explore the various areas of the mini-site under the following headers… Sail Fit, Hike Hard, Eat Well, Sail Smart and Coach.
[ Talent Development Programme ]
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Tornado World Championship
The 2008 Tornado World Champs wrapped up last weekend at Takapuna Boating Club with Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby of Australia crowned world champions. It was Bundock’s sixth world title in the Tornado class, and the pair is clearly in top form five months out from the 2008 Olympic Games.
The regatta wasn’t all plain sailing for the Aussies though who had a disaster on day one sitting 19th overall in the 51 boat fleet.
“After the first day we actually needed to sit down and have a look at the results, and we saw that only a few crews that hadn’t had at least one bad race of a 14th plus,” said Bundock. “Then coming out the next day and getting two 2nds, it showed us that we could do it. We got a glimpse and that was all we needed.”
When racing was abandoned on the final day due to strong north westerlies on the Hauraki Gulf Bundock and Ashby were five points clear and took the title.
Kiwi’s Aaron McIntosh and Mark Kennedy sailed solidly throughout the week and made it up the leaderboard to 4th place at one point in the series. However they were disappointed to slip out of the top ten on the penultimate day of racing and were then unable to improve on that when racing was cancelled on Saturday.
They finished 12th overall, which was enough to qualify New Zealand for an Olympic berth in the Tornado. Nomination isn’t automatic though, and McIntosh and Kennedy, who have only recently resumed their partnership in the class, will have to wait a little longer for clarification of the status of their campaign.
Full results, news and images by Ocean Photography from the regatta are on the regatta website www.tapapunaworlds.org – click the link below.
[ Takapuna Worlds 2008 ]
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BMW Auckland Regatta Week
The weather called all the shots for the 78 crews taking part in the inaugural BMW Auckland Regatta Week which started February 29th and was jointly organised by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club and sailed off Eastern Beach.
At stake for the almost 600 sailors was the chance to represent New Zealand at the BMW Sailing Cup International World Final in Dubai in April.
Friday’s sailing conditions were ideal, with northerlies building to 15 knots. On Saturday winds gusting to 30 knots brought big seas and heavy rain to Auckland and racing was cancelled. By dawn on Sunday the wind had died away and racing was delayed as officials waited for the breeze to fill in.
The first of three windward-leeward races for the eight divisions was sailed in a light westerly. The breeze built as the afternoon wore on, but there was no time for the scheduled harbour race and it was abandoned.
The winning crew of each division battled it out Tuesday and Wednesday for the BMW Sailing Cup, in the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s one-design MRX fleet.
The winner was announced last night at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. The ultimate prize of entry into the BMW Sailing Cup International World Final went to the crew of Bobby’s Girl, who will now travel to Dubai in April to represent New Zealand at the BMW Sailing Cup World Final.
Ten crews contested the New Zealand BMW Sailing Cup, earning a place in the final after leading their respective divisions in the BMW Auckland Regatta.
The BMW Sailing Cup is an international amateur series. Last year’s inaugural world final event at Valencia saw seven countries taking part, sailing in Bénéteau 7.5s. Team Germany was the victor, with Spain second and Great Britain third. This is the first year New Zealand will be represented.
BMW Auckland Regatta Week receives support from a number of key sponsors including the Auckland City Council, Manukau City Council and KPMG.
For results and news visit the website through the link below...
[ Regatta Website ]
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Yachting Quarterly Autumn Issue out now
The autumn issue of the Yachting Quarterly has just been released and can be viewed on the Yachting New Zealand website. Editor Zoe Hawkins has once again done a great job of rounding up the latest keelboat, multihull and trailerboat news for owners and enthusiasts.
If you don’t already, and would like to receive the newsletter by email then sign-up on the YNZ website to receive the Yachting Quarterly.
[ Yachting Quarterly recent issues ]
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Women’s Laser Radial Worlds
With the Tornado World Champs just concluded Takapuna Boating Club is already readying itself for the Women’s Laser Radial World Champs which start next week.
Registration and measurement starts Thursday 13th March, and racing proper on Saturday 15th March, so the countdown is on. The entry list for the Olympic class World Championships stands at 119 with representatives from 39 nations taking part.
Like the Tornados this is the final Olympic qualifier for the countries who weren’t in the top 19 (excluding China the host nation) at the 2007 World Championships in Cascais, Portugal. A further six places remain available and they will be decided here at Takapuna.
New Zealand has already qualified and in November last year Jo Aleh was confirmed by NZOC as the one to represent our country in China five months from now. For Jo, who topped the latest release of the ISAF World rankings for the Laser Radial, this regatta is an opportunity to line up in a huge international fleet which contains all her main rivals.
While the advantage of local knowledge may work in the kiwi’s favour, conditions during the event will also be a major factor. Having been selected for China early Jo is already concentrating her training towards a focus on light winds as this is what is predicted for the Olympic Games. If Takapuna turns on a week of strong winds this could work in favour of the heavy air specialists.
Here’s the schedule…
Thurs 13th March – Registration & Measurement
Fri 14th March – Registration, Measurement & Practice Race
Sat 15th March – Racing – 2 qualifying races (First warning signal 1100)
Sun 16th March – Racing – 2 qualifying races
Mon 17th March – Racing – 2 qualifying races
Tues 18th March – Racing – 2 qualifying/finals races
Weds 19th March – Racing - 2 qualifying/finals races
Thurs 20th March – Racing - 2 qualifying/finals races, Prize-giving and Closing Ceremony
Results, news and images by Ocean Photography will be on www.takapunaworlds.org
[ Takapuna Worlds 2008 ]
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NZL Yachting Trust continues support of IRC
Yachting New Zealand is pleased to advise that the NZL Yachting Trust has agreed to extend their sponsorship of IRC certificates for yachts not previously IRC certified for a further year.
The NZL Yachting Trust has been a significant supporter of the introduction of IRC into New Zealand coming on board with an incentive offer to boat owners when IRC was first offered through Yachting New Zealand.
Owners can receive a subsidy of up to $324. The NZL Yachting Trust is behind the move to the IRC system and believes we should move with other nations as IRC continues to become adopted more widely internationally.
The NZL Yachting Trust will continue to subsidise the full cost of initial certification for boats up to 12 metres in length and $324 for boats over that length. The offer is available to any owner purchasing an IRC certificate for the first time and lasts until 31 March 2009.
To find out more about the NZL Yachting Trust visit their website through the link below.
[ NZL Yachting Trust ]
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Two-handed sailors welcomed into Napier
Leg three of the Two-Handed Round North Island race from Wellington to Napier is now concluded with all of the fleet now in Napier enjoying a well earned rest. Competitors in the SSANZ organised race, which has attracted an impressive 24 boat fleet, have enjoyed a range of conditions since leaving Auckland on February 24th.
The SSANZ website will have regular position updates as the fleet makes their way back to Auckland on Leg four of the race, and also has results as well as some great stories from those taking part. The fleet is scheduled to leave Napier tomorrow (Friday) at 9am.
Click the link below for the SSANZ website.
[ SSANZ ]
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Elliot 5.9 Nationals
The Elliott 5.9 National Championship, hosted by Gulf Harbour Yacht Club ran from Wednesday 20th February to Saturday 23rd February, though racing was abandoned on Friday and Saturday due to strong winds. Nine out of eleven scheduled races were sailed and Ice Breaker skippered by Peter Burling of Tauranga came out the overall winner.
Thirteen boats competed with entries from Wellington to Kerikeri plus a youth training crew from New Caledonia. Past winners from the last twelve years were in the starting line-up and racing was extremely close. Race Officer John Sinclair was an expert at setting the three lap windward/leeward courses at just over 50 minutes duration.
Overall results...
1st - Ice Breaker (14 points) – Peter Burling with brother Scott and father as crew
2nd - Erotic (20 points, on count back – 3 wins)
3rd - Slam Dunk (20 points)
4th - Voodoo (21 points)
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YNZ Submission on the ARC Navigation Safety Bylaws
The Auckland Regional Council is reviewing the existing Navigation Safety Bylaw 2000. Late last year they published the Draft Auckland Regional Council Navigation Safety Bylaw and earlier this year invited submissions on this document. Yachting New Zealand has made a submission covering a number of areas of the draft in the interest of all members.
Our submission can be found on the YNZ website under “YNZ Submissions”, follow the link below.
[ YNZ Submissions ]
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OKI 24 hour race: the short version
The OKI 24 Hour Yacht Race finally got underway on Sunday 24th February at Lake Pupuke in Auckland, after gale force winds delayed the planned start of the event on Saturday 23rd.
The Race which usually runs for 24 hours was shortened to an approximate six hour long competition. Run by the Murrays Bay Sailing Club (MBSC), the Race requires competing teams to sail non-stop in rotating shifts in Lasers.
Dean Barker and other top sailors including Ray Davies, Alistair Gair, Andrew Brown, Kevin Hall, Rod Dawson and Craig Monk took part sailing the Legends boat
Murrays Bay Sailing Club Vice Commodore, Owen Rutter, said instead of the usual Le Mans style start, the race got underway with competitors starting in their boats.
“Under the Race rules, each team member usually sails for a maximum of three hours before they are required to rest for a minimum of one hour. With the Race being shortened each team member had to sail for a maximum of two hours and rest for a minimum of one hour.”
Overall winners were Michael Bullot and Jason Geale sailing Canam Construction, second place went to James Sandall and Josh Junior sailing Chemwash, while third place getters were Andy Maloney and Sam Meech sailing North Shore City.
Michael Bullot and Jason Geale also picked up top spot in the Open Class, while Andy Maloney and Sam Meech picked up first place in the Youth Class. Winners in the Women’s Class were Jo Aleh and Sara Winther sailing Line 7 Marine. Manly Sailing Club took top honours in the inaugural Junior Youth Interclub Challenge. Winners of the Masters division were Jim Maloney, Martin Winter and Steve Pyatt sailing MacKay Boats.
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Club Scene: Pleasant Point Yacht Club
The history of the Pleasant Point Yacht Club in Christchurch will be well preserved with a new book about to be published, authored by club member Ray O’Brien. .
O’Brien’s book, entitled 'Memories of Pleasant Point Yacht Club 1921 - 1980' is a lively and colourful account of the early years of the club, the interesting characters who founded it and subsequent members who played a leading roll in its development, the boats sailed on the Christchurch Estuary, the clubhouses built and more.
The book is the result of 30 years of research, based on letters, newspaper clippings of events, photographs and contact with some of the early members. The Club is publishing a limited number of copies, and selling them for $30.00 each, to cover printing & formatting costs.
The book will be launched at the Club on Saturday 13 April, Pleasant Point Yacht Club's Closing Day, after racing at about 1.30pm. If anyone would like to order a copy of the book, please contact Pam Walpole at Pam.Walpole@gmail.com or by phone on (03) 355 6804.
An invitation is also extended to the yachting community to come to the book launch.
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Coaching & Instructing: Courses & Seminars
PERFORMANCE COACH – MODULE 4
Performance Coach Module 4: Sports Science
Takapuna Boating Club, Tuesday 1st April 2008, 6:30pm
This course ranges from burnout of your athlete, to nutrition, to planning, to peaking at your athletes’ major regattas for the season. Spaces are running out fast! If you’re interested in attending please contact Andrew Brown andrewb@yachtingnz.org.nz
KEELBOAT AND CLUB INSTERUCTORS
The Club Instructor and Keelboat Instructor courses qualify participants to teach the Yachting New Zealand Learn-to-Sail syllabus in their respective boat type. Club Instructor courses for winter 2008 are being scheduled in Wellington, Lake Dunstan, Auckland, Taupo and Christchurch. Keelboat Instructor Courses will be in Auckland, Waikawa and Wellington. Specific information on dates and venues is available online on the Upcoming Courses page through the link below.
INTERESTED IN HOSTING A COURSE?
If your region is interested in hosting a Yachting New Zealand Coach or Instructor course over the winter please contact your local RSO, Kim Admore - North, Lynette Merry - Central, Kate Spackman - Northern South Island, Stacey Green - Southern South Island or Auckland based Coordinators Andrew Brown (andrewb@yachtingnz.org.nz) and Kristine Lederis (kristine@yachtingnz.org.nz)
[ Upcoming Courses ]
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New Logbook and Learn to Sail Quizzes
We have updated our Learn to Sail Level 1 and 2 logbooks. The logbooks are no longer workbook style, but rather an information manual. The workbook quizzes are now available for download from our website through the link below.
These quizzes are great for instructors to use as activities for rainy days or for young sailors to quiz themselves on how much they’ve learnt. Stay tuned as more resources for instructors become available!
[ Workbook Quizzes ]
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YNZ website: Call for feedback…
Yachting New Zealand has plans to upgrade our website. Ideas for improvement include introducing more user friendly on-line services and ultimately cutting down on paperwork for users.
We’d like to thank those who have already been in touch and we invite further feedback with thoughts and comments on what you would like to see on the YNZ website. Please email your feedback to jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz
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