Sir Peter Blake Regatta attracts top young sailors

by Richard Gladwell and NZ Optimist Assoc on 8 Dec 2008 The Sir Peter Blake Memorial Regatta was sailed over the weekend from Torbay Sailing Club.

There were 281 entries in 14 classes.

Largest fleet was the Optimist, with 72 entries won by Taylor Burn from Queen Charlotte/ Murrays Bay who backed up on a fourth place at North island Championships the previous weekend at Lake Taupo.

Douglas Campbell (Royal Perth YC) finished second and 12 yr old Trent Rippey from Tauranga third. Jack Collinson (Wakatere) and Olivia Mackay (Napier) both had 39 points coming 4th and 5th place consecutively.

Another 12 yr old, Markus Somerville, from Wakatere sailed an impressive regatta, coming 7th overall and having a win in Race 6 and a second place in Race 5.

The green fleet attracted 45 entries with Jeremy Mitchell (MBSC) in first place, Stefan-Sanford Scutt (Taipa) 2nd and Tessa Hunt (Kohi) in 3rd place.

In the 470 class, the new combination of 2008 Olympic representative Carl Evans and Daniel Willcox, blitzed the five strong fleet scoring six wins and a second place to finish well clear of the very competitive Geoff Woolley and Mark Overington.

Scott Barnes was the overall winner of the Sir Peter Blake Trophy, after he took the Starling title with four wins in the 64 strong Starling fleet. He was 10 pts clear of Sam Mckenzie (Kohimaramara) and Jamie Dawson (Murrays Bay).

Competitors from the North and South islands competed in the event, along with those from Australia and New Caledonia.

For full results http://www.torbaysailingclub.org.nz!click_here

And for photos of the regatta http://www.oceanphotography.co.nz/lightbox/index.php?category=gallery/Sir%20Peter%20Blake%20Memorial%20Regatta%20Day%201&start=0!click_here