Wakatere's Dunning-Beck bounces back to win Starling Nationals

by Sutter Schumacher on 16 Jan 2010
Logan Dunning-Beck of Narrow Neck's Wakatere Boating Club has won the Davie Norris Boatbuilders 2010 Starling National Championship at Naval Point Club Lyttelton.

Up until the last races on Saturday, the 16-year-old had sailed a remarkably consistent series, posting four first-place finishes and smattering of seconds and thirds over the 12-race regatta. His worst finishes came on Saturday, when he tallied a 12th and 15th.

Southerly winds, rain showers, and an easterly swell on Lyttelton Harbour did not exactly make it easy for Dunning-Beck, or any of the 95 other Starling sailors, to shine on the final day of racing. As one gold-fleet sailor said before retiring from the last race and heading back to the barn, 'Four days of hiking and capsizes have done me in!'

Before regatta results could be finalised on Saturday afternoon, the protest committee had to work the late shift to resolve a number of scoring- and start-related requests for redress from the previous day, as well as the odd procedural protest.

When all was said and done, Tauranga's Luke Stevenson, who'd been trading hold of first place with Dunning-Beck all week, ended up second overall. He was followed by Chris Steele, also from Wakatere Boating Club, in third. Gareth Moore of Waimakariri Sailing and Power Boat Club was the top-placed local sailor, in 9th.

In the Silver Fleet, James de Lisle of Worser Bay Boating Club took top honours. After training in a Starling for just two months, Oscar Rorvik of Lake Taupo Yacht Club – winner of last year's Tauranga and Tanner Cups – finished in a three-way tie with Janelle Peat and Ryan Dixon, and took second on the tie-break.

Recognised at Saturday evening's awards presentation, were:

Third-placed female sailor – Elise Beavis, Murrays Bay Boating Club
Second-placed female sailor – Emma Goodwin, Napier Sailing Club
Alan Sayer Trophy for the highest-placed female in the national championship (under 19) – Brittany Wornall, Mt Pleasant Yacht Club
Harken Trophy for the youngest sailor in the top ten – Andrew McKenzie, Kohimarama Yacht Club (14 years old)
Chris Timms Memorial Trophy for the highest-placed sailor under 16 – Andrew McKenzie
HSG Trophy Handicap Winner from Race 1 – Morgyn Cowan, Naval Point Club Lyttelton
North Sails Starling Sail – Olivia High, Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club
Dean Barker Rash Shirt for the youngest sailor in the regatta – Samuel Rushton (11 years old)
Third place in the Silver Fleet – Genelle Peat, Torbay Sailing Club
Second place in the Silver Fleet – Oscar Rorvik, Lake Taupo Yacht Club
Cooke Trophy for the winner of the Silver Fleet – James de Lisle, Worser Bay Boating Club
Des Townson Trophy for the Over-19 Winner of the National Championship – Gye Simkin, New Plymouth YC
Murrays Bay Cup for third place in the National Championship (Under 19) – Chris Steele, Wakatere Boating Club
Kohi Cup for second place in the National Championship (Under 19) – Luke Stevenson, Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club
John Peet Trophy for the winner of the National Championship (Under 19) – Logan Dunning-Beck, Wakatere Boating Club

FINAL RESULTS
after 12 races and 2 discards

1) Logan Dunning-Beck, Wakatere Boating Club, 31 points
2) Luke Stevenson, Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club, 35 points
3) Chris Steele, Wakatere Boating Club, 41 points
4) Sam McKenzie, Kohimarama Yacht Club, 46 points
5) Declan Burn, Queen Charlotte Yacht Club, 57 points
6) Alex Morris, Macandrew Bay Boating Club, 74 points
7) Andrew McKenzie, Kohimarama Yacht Club, 76 points
8) Etienne LePen, S.R.C Noumea, 92 points
9) Gareth Moore, Waimakariri Sailing and Power Boat Club, 93 points
10) Brittany Wornall, Mount Pleasant YC, 95 points
11) Brad Moss, Murrays Bay Boating Club, 119 points
12) Ollie Steiner, Napier Sailing Club, 130 points
13) Gye Simkin, New Plymouth Yacht Club, 133 points
14) Matthew Kempker, Wakatere Boating Club, 143 points
15) Emma Goodwin, Napier Sailing Club, 147 points
16) Alex Dyet, Torbay Sailing Club, 147 points
17) Henry Wilkinson, Kohimarama, 151 points
18) Elise Beavis, Murrays Bay Boating Club, 155 points
19) Sam Mackey, Napier Sailing Club, 158 points
20) Trent Jones, Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, 161 points

SILVER FLEET
1) James de Lisle, Worser Bay Boating Club, 141 points
2) Oscar Rorvik, Lake Taupo Yacht Club, 142 points
3) Janelle Peat, Torbay Sailing Club, 142 points
4) Ryan Dixon, Howick Yacht Club, 142 points
5) Alice Noyer, Sandspit/Murrays Bay, 143 points
6) Chris Pattinson, Charteris Bay Yacht Club, 148 points
7) Hayden White, Timaru Yacht and Power Boat Club, 149 points
8) George Anyon, Kohimarama Yacht Club, 150 points
9) Daniel Foley-Logan, Nelson Yacht Club, 158 points
10) Oliver Klups, New Plymouth Yacht Club, 184 points

Complete results at www.navalpoint.co.nz