2010 BMW Auckland Regatta- Frantic Drift flips

by Ivor Wilkins on 27 Feb 2010
Winds gusting over 30 knots tested the competitors in the opening day of the BMW Auckland Regatta today and saw one of the hot favourites in the open multihull division capsize.

Frantic Drift, skippered by Olympic sailor Dan Salter with Nathan Handley and two up-and-coming Olympic class sailors Blair Tuke and Peter Burling on board was flipped coming into the finish of the opening race.

The yacht ended upside down in the water. With help from two umpire boats, Frantic Drift was righted again. Nobody was injured and the yacht was soon under tow back to Westhaven.

'Conditions were certainly testing,' said regatta director Ross Markwick of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. 'The sailors had their hands full in gusty conditions, but we saw some outstanding displays of seamanship.'

Racing comprised a course from Northern Leading to Eastern Beach, followed by windward leewards. Sixty yachts in nine divisions are competing in the regatta, which continues tomorrow and finishes on Sunday.

Three races were completed today and the provisional results on General Handicap have the following yachts leading their divisions:A Div: BMW YachtsportB Div: Sure ThingC Div: AzureD Div: Cool ChangeE Div: Tiago ItiOpen multihull: Taeping8.5m multihull: LuciferY88: Slipstream III

For full results, please see the event website:www.bmwaucklandregatta.co.nz

Racing this weekend will take place off Northern Leading and Eastern Beach and will comprise a mix of windward-leeward courses and harbour courses. 2010 BMW AUCKLAND REGATTAMEDIA RELEASE

Quotes from Daniel Slater, Skipper of Frantic Drift, after their Opening Day capsize.

'We were just coming in to the finish of the opening race. It was all on. We were doing 24 knots when we cartwheeled the boat. Nathan Handley and I both cleared the forestay as we flew through the air. The yacht ended up totally upside down. Luckily nobody was injured.'With the help of a couple of umpire boats, we got the boat upright and were just getting sailing again when a lashing attaching the main shroud on the starboard side of the mast broke, bringing the mast down. So we ended up having to be towed back to Westhaven.'We will not be able to continue racing in the regatta, but we are about to do a major modification of Frantic Drift, with new floats and foils, which will be similar to the shapes on the BMW ORACLE Racing trimaran in the America's Cup.'

For full results, please see the event website:www.bmwaucklandregatta.co.nz

The BMW Auckland Regatta is followed by the Auckland Festival of Sailing which comprises a series of on and off the water events including the Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta, the Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland, the BMW Sailing Cup World Final and the Auckland International Boat Show.

Along with BMW, the Principal Partner, BMW Auckland Regatta thanks the following sponsors for their generosity and support with the event: Key sponsors: KPMG, Auckland City Council, Manukau City Council; Official Clothing Supplier: Musto; Divisional sponsors: OKI, Yanmar - Whiting Power Systems, North Sails, Mount Gay Rum, BSP DesignSupport sponsors: Yachting New Zealand, Southern Cross Healthcare, Wind Warrior Yachts