MacGregors take top places at Access Class Yokohama Cup

by Access media on 4 Jul 2009 The 2009 International Access Class Yokohama AA Cup Regatta was held from June 12-14, 2009 at Minato-mirai Rinko-park, Nishi-ku, Yokohama City. The regatta was part of the Yokohama Boat Festival and program of celebrations for the Yokohama Port Opening 150th Anniversary.

The Kanagawa Prefecture Sailing Federation and the Yokohama City Yachting Federation organised the event in cooperation with the Japan Access Class Association.

Single-person and two-person competitions were held in the Access 2.3 and 303 classes.

There were entries received from several foreign countries, but some had to cancel due to concerns about the swine flu pandemic. In the end, three Australians joined the sailors from seven Sailability clubs in Japan.

The Access 2.3 single-person division had 13 entries, there were 17 teams in the 2.3 two-person class, 8 sailors in the 303 single-person fleet, and another 8 teams in the 303 two-person division.

In total, 46 teams and 62 sailors participated in the regatta, including 20 sailors with disabilities, 11 of those being wheelchair users.

It is the rainy season in Japan but the three days of the regatta were fine and there was good breeze. The 62 sailors and almost 100 volunteers and staff will have great memories of the event.

Minato-mirai is the sightseeing spot where the highest number of people gather in Japan, so a large number of people were able to view the regatta. Newspaper and TV programs reported Access regatta sailing every day of the event.

Results

Access 2.3 Single Person
First – Angus MacGregor (AUS)
Second – Duncan MacGregor (AUS)
Third – Kazuhito Nishiyama (JPN – Tsu)

Access 2.3 Two Person
First – Hiroshi Oda & Yasuhiro Nozaki (JPN – Osaka)
Second – Hidehiro Kodaira & Miho Ueno (JPN – Yokohama)
Third – Kazuhito Nishiyama & Shigetaka Nakamura (JPN – Tsu)

Access 303 Single Person
First – Mitsuhiro Sumitani (JPN – Osaka)
Second – Yusuki Usui (JPN – Enoshima)
Third – Yutaka Tsuduki (JPN – Enoshima)

Access 303 Two Person
First – Sachiko Aoki & Masao Inoue (JPN – Yokohama)
Second – Miuhiro Sumitani & Shigeko Matuyama (JPN – Osaka)
Third – Ryuichi Sato & Kunihiro Nakao (JPN – Enoshima)

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