2009 New Zealand Sunburst Nationals - Brett Linton takes overall win

by Nigel Price on 3 Feb 2009
The Rangitoto Channel out from the Wakatere Boating Club provided three days of blazing sunshine, calm to moderate wind and flat water for the 2009 Sunburst Nationals. The seven race series was sailed over the three day Auckland Anniversary holiday weekend, and the Monday races were included in the Anniversary Day Regatta program.

The fleet comprised 27 boats, and as is usual with Sunbursts there were skippers and crews of ages ranging from schoolchildren to 60 plus, with many parent and child combinations.

Wellington Sailmaker Brett Linton with daughter Penny from Worser Bay Boating Club, with first or second placings in each race were clear winners overall, eventually dropping a second place for the six races to count. Grant Bourke and Nikita Stetensko of Pupuke Sailing Club, sailing a recently launched glass boat with Quantum Sails were second and Dean and Chris Coleman of Wakatere Boating club were close behind in third place.

Saturday was frustrating for everyone with very light and shifting breezes, and the first race attempt was eventually canned after running out of the allowed time. The second attempt at a race on Saturday afternoon got a result, even though it was sailed in the similar conditions.

On the Sunday there were four races scheduled and completed, with the wind coming up in the afternoon to fourteen knots, the strongest over the contest. Mondays two races were in the six to thirteen knot range.

The Wakatere Cup for performance on handicap over the last six races, was won by Craig and Mitchell Fraser. The Kettlewell Cup for Under 19 years youth sailors and the Secondary School Cup was won by Nathan and Jamie Long, who were sixth overall in the fleet.

For a full list of Line and Handicap results go to www.wakatere.org.nz and check in the news section.

With 1809 boats built since the first one in 1964, the Sunburst is one of the most popular sailing boats built in New Zealand with boats at most centreboard sailing clubs, and an even spread of boats throughout the country. It is used as a two handed training boat by many Yacht Clubs, Schools, Sea Scouts and Young Mariners groups as well as being a competitive race class. The Class Association offers plans and CNC routed frame pack kitsets for wooden boat construction and glass boats are produced by a commercial boatbuilder using Association owned moulds.

Participation at all ages is encouraged, and indeed the Masters, Grand Masters and Veterens Prizes, this year won by Dean Coleman, Bruce Yarnton and Maurice Scott respectively are keenly sought after. The first all female crew prize was won by Helen Visser and Meg McKerchar from Worser Bay, the first husband and wife crew prize was won by Nigel and Jeanette Price of Wakatere, who also won the Muritai One Ton Cup for crew combined age of over 100.

The first in Parent and Child category, which encompassed twelve out of the twenty seven starters, was of course won by Brett and Penny Linton who won the regatta overall. Everyone revelled in a holiday weekend of glorious weather, and the social programme accompanying the racing was well participated in.

For North Island Sunbursts the next regatta on the Sunburst racing calendar is the Sunburst North Island Champs, being run at Worser Bay in Wellington over Waitangi Weekend. Defending North Island Champ from 2008, and current National champ Brett Linton will not be competing as he will be OD for this series as well as the R Class Leander Trophy, Z Class worlds and OK Interdominion contests that will be running concurrently over the same time period.

The next regatta in the South Island, the Sunburst South Island Championships will be run at MacAndrew Bay boating Club in Dunedin over the same weekend. Look at the Sunburst website www.sunburst.org.nz for NORs and details.