2010 Appleton Estate Elliott 5.9 Nationals underway
by Simon Manning on 3 Mar 2010
Start of Race 8 in the 2009 Elliott 5.9’s Auckland Championships Richard Gladwell
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The 2010 Appleton Estate Elliott 5.9 National Championships got underway on Wednesday 3 March at Royal Akarana Yacht Club in Auckland. Once class measuring and safety checks are completed, racing gets underway on Thursday 4 March 2010.
Twelve races are scheduled with the best ten results to count. The small but high quality fleet includes the handful of boats that have dominated the past 10 National Championships.
Regatta favourite and defending champion Slam Dunk is being skippered by one of the most successful ever Elliott 5.9 skippers, Cameron Horne (RAYC, Auckland) - Horne has been national class champion several times.
The event took on more interest last week when 2008 Class Champion Icebreaker submitted a late entry. Icebreaker will be skippered by young 2008 Olympian Peter Burling (Tauranga). Owned by the Burling family, Icebreaker is rarely seen on the North Island Traveller circuit due to other sailing and study commitments but despite this the boat has won two NZ titles since 2005.
Brzo now skippered by Nathan Williams (Auckland) won a string of National Titles when sailed by Sam Edwards, Keith Hogan and Greg Wagstaff. Now newly renovated Brzo shapes as the dark horse of the fleet. After selling Brzo, Edwards launched a brand new boat, Erotic however, due to injuries to two of the crew, Erotic is missing the 2010 event.
Other boats likely to feature are the 2007 National Champion Voodoo (Simon Manning, Auckland) and long time campaigner Sub 60, this year being skippered by Stu Clarke (Auckland).
The event concludes on Saturday 6 March 2010.
Offering close racing and great social events built around the North Island regatta circuit, the Elliott 5.9 class is the perfect 3-person syndicate boat. The class is relatively low maintenance and is sailed by a crew of 3. No rail meat - everyone has a job!
Used boats range from $9,000 to $25,000. Fleets exist in Opua, Whangarei, Auckland, Tauranga and Plimmerton in the North Island, as well as Queenstown and Christchurch in the South Island.
For enquiries about the Elliott 5.9 class, please go to www.e59.org.nz and click on Contacts.
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