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Briefings – 8 December 2010
In this issue:
YNZ News
Award winners Revealed
Singapore Airlines Sailor of the Year 2010: BlackMatch Racing
 2009 champions of the prestigious World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) Adam Minoprio and his BlackMatch Racing crew were named 2010 Singapore Airlines Sailor of the Year at the Yachting Excellence Awards held in Auckland on Friday, November 26th.
25 year old Adam Minoprio and his crew of Nick Blackman, Dave Swete, Dan McLean and Tom Powrie, all products of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s Youth Programme, rocketed to the top of the World Match Racing Tour in a few short years winning the world title in 2009, currently at the top of the ISAF rankings.
Absent from the Yachting Excellence Awards in Auckland the young team were preparing to try and defend their crown in Malaysia at the final deciding event in the 2010 World Match Racing Tour – The Monsoon Cup. Points were tight at the top of the board, but things didn’t go the way of the young kiwis and it was Ben Ainslie who turned things on their head and took the regatta and the Championship title.
Young Sailor of the Year 2010 in Association with Orbit Travel Wellington: Thomas Saunders
 Winning Gold in the Laser at this year’s Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships, Thomas Saunders from the Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club was rewarded once more, named Young Sailor of the Year for 2010 in association with Orbit Travel Wellington.
With 50 competitors from 50 nations, the single-handed event was the largest and arguably the toughest at the world’s most esteemed youth regatta seen as the closest thing to an Olympic regatta for youth aged sailors. Saunders joined an illustrious and growing list of New Zealanders to have won this event.
Coach/Official of the Year 2010 in Association with Orbit Travel Wellington: Harold Bennett
 Harold Bennett is the first name to be engraved on a brand new trophy after he was named 2010 Coach/Official of the Year in the inaugural year for this category.
Principal Race Officer for the 33rd America’s Cup staged in Valencia in February 2010, Harold Bennett faced the daunting task of running a contest like none before. A match race track that stretched out of sight of land, into deep water, coupled with boats of incredible size and speed demanded fresh and innovative thinking.
With emotions running high after long litigation imposed delays, and the threat of winter storms Harold Bennett took all these challenges in his stride, stood his ground, acted with integrity and ran an incredible regatta the likes of which may never be seen again.
Emerging Talent Award 2010: Jayvee Buchanan
Jayvee Buchanan, from the Charteris Bay and Murrays Bay Yacht Clubs, is the deserving recipient of the inaugural Emerging Talent Award having displayed outstanding potential as a future star of New Zealand sailing.
Jayvee Buchanan has been sailing in the Optimist class for six years, achieving a consistently high result and has represented New Zealand at four international regattas. He won the New Zealand Optimist Open Championship at Murrays Bay in October 2009 and the North Island Optimist Open Championship in Napier, November of 2009.
Success followed in December last year, the youngster won the Sir Peter Blake Memorial Trophy, a feat he repeated last weekend collecting the Trophy for second time in a row. Read more about the Sir Peter Blake Regatta below under Local Sailing.
More on Awards...
Yachting New Zealand Performance Awards 2010: Significant achievement in the world of yachting by New Zealanders over the past year has been plentiful ensuring it was a tough job for the Awards Judging Panel to select the Performance Awards recipients from a good number of quality nominations.
 Competitive performance, sportsmanship and/or design can be the basis for a Yachting New Zealand Performance Award. Performance Awards were presented to...
Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie, RNZYS – Olympic class Women’s 470
Blackmatch Racing, RNZYS - World Match Racing Tour
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club and Kerikeri Cruising Club – Olympic class 49er
Neville Crichton, RNZYS – Offshore Yacht racing
Scott Leith, Pupuke Boating Club – Masters Laser Radial
Andrew Murdoch, Kerikeri Cruising Club – Olympic class Laser
Karl Purdie, Worser Bay Boating Club – OK Dinghy (pictured left)
Thomas Saunders, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club – Laser Youth
Chris Steele, Wakatere Boating Club – Splash class
Sara Winther, Takapuna Boating Club – Olympic class Laser Radial
Yachting New Zealand Service Awards 2010: Recognising exemplary and selfless service to yachting, the Yachting New Zealand Service Awards are a highlight in the evening’s Award programme. Often going without recognition these are the people who make our sport tick, and it’s a delight to see them rewarded.
 Eight Yachting New Zealand Service Awards were presented at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
Alexander Aitken, Zephyr Owners Association & Waimakariri Sailing & Powerboat Club (pictured left)
Warren Belk, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
Des Brennan, Akaroa Sailing Club
Roger Kitchen, Torbay Sailing Club
Jim Lott, Cruising & Navigation Association NZ
Ross Munro, RNZYS
Sarah and Sefton Powrie, RNZYS
Doug Smeal, Whangarei Cruising Club and Onerahi Yacht Club
Yachting New Zealand Cruising Awards 2010
 This year two yachtsmen were awarded the Yachting New Zealand Cruising Award – both solo sailors who have independently been on remarkable global adventures. They are...
Graeme Kendall – North West Passage voyage on 12.5 metre Astral Express (pictured left)
Phillip Zwiess – Global circumnavigation solo on Caval (Cavalier 32)
Yachting New Zealand President’s Award 2010: In an unprecedented move the President’s Award in 2010 was awarded to two recipients.
New Zealand members of the BMW Oracle Racing, Design, Build and Sailing Teams
BMW Oracle may have flown the burgee of the Golden Gate Yacht Club, but the day after they lifted the Auld Mug the New Zealand influence was there for all to see, when BMW Oracle introduced the five key management of which four were New Zealanders; Russell Coutts, Mike Drummond – Head of Design and the two leading boat builders who lead construction, Tim Smyth and Mark Turner. There were three New Zealanders aboard the incredible flying machine - Ross Halcrow and Matthew Mason who had previously won the America’s Cup aboard NZL 32 and Brad Webb, winner for the first time.
 Short-Handed Sailing Association New Zealand (SSANZ)
SSANZ inspired the B and G SIMRAD short-handed series has quite simply exploded in popularity now attracting fleets of close to two hundred in each of the three races staged annually through the winter months. The organisation also runs the successful two-handed round North Island Race with the countdown now on for the 2011 race in February/March.
Other presentations
After securing the IRC National Championship title this year, Jim Farmer and his Georgia Racing crew have their name on the KORC Trophy once more. Crew of Georgia Racing were at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron to accept the trophy on behalf of Jim Farmer who was out of the country.
Following the 2010 Yachting New Zealand AGM it was announced that Barbara Kendall and Ralph Roberts had been honoured with Yachting New Zealand Life Membership. An official presentation was made at the dinner.
High Performance & International
Calling all aspiring Women’s Match Racers
 Yachting New Zealand is looking to get more women involved in match racing in order to grow the pool of sailors who have the potential to represent New Zealand in this discipline at the World Cup of Sailing, and ultimately at the Olympic Games.
In 2011 our strategy is to hold two domestic match race regattas where women crews can compete and show their potential to the selectors. The first will be the Musto Cup run by the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club from 23 to 27 February 2011.
The Notice of Race and registration of interest for this regatta are available from the events page at www.rpnyc.org.nz or by clicking here. Details of the second event are yet to be confirmed and it will be held in September 2011.
These events, in conjunction with other factors, will be used to select crews to go on to race at the 2011 Sail for Gold Regatta, at the ISAF Worlds in Perth and at World Sailing Cup events. Details of the selection process for crews to attend these events can be obtained by registering your crew, along with a plan of the training and racing that you intend to do in the coming 12 months, with reception@yachtingnz.org.nz . Once you have registered we will send you the selection guidelines.
We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at the Musto Cup in February. If you have any questions about the Women’s Match Racing programme then please email YNZ Olympic Program Director Jez Fanstone at jez@yachtingnz.org.nz.
Burling and Tuke looking strong at Sail Sydney
 Two days in and two to go, Sail Sydney 2010 has reached the halfway point with the NZL Sailing Team’s 49er crew of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke leading the way in a top 49er fleet.
On day two they pulled out a couple of race wins to pull ahead of the Aussie duo – Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen who didn’t fare so well yesterday. New Zealand’s other reps in the Olympic skiff class – Marcus Hansen and Aaron Hume-Merry - are also in good shape lying 4th in the fleet of 13 boats.
Tim Dempsey and Jan Apel are placed 3rd in the SKUD18 fleet where seven of the Paralympic class boats are competing.
New Zealand’s Current Standings after day two
1st Peter Burling and Blair Tuke – 49er
4th Marcus Hansen and Aaron Hume-Merry – 49er
24th Josh Junior – Laser
16th Rachel Basevi – Laser Radial
3rd Tim Dempsey and Jan Apel – SKUD18
1st Alex Maloney and Sam Moloney – 29er
Sail Auckland 2011
 With technical wrinkles now ironed out on-line entries are being accepted for 2011 Sail Auckland Regatta on the calendar for 3rd - 6th February 2010.
While competing at the Perth International Regatta recently the NZL Sailing Team has been encouraging their international counterparts to come to Auckland’s North Shore for the event. With many northern hemisphere sailors in Australia for the down-under regattas it’s a short hop to include Sail Auckland Regatta in February.
Organizers apologize if you made a failed attempt at on-line entry, and invite you to get back on line to www.sailauckland.org.nz to enter now.
Getting in behind Sail Auckland 2011 are...
Major Sponsors: SPARC, Auckland City, ZHIK, YNZ
Supporting sponsors: Benefitz, FrontEnd
Excellent Paralympic fleet for 2011 Sail Auckland
 Sail Auckland 2011 is shaping up to gather the best fleet of Paralympic sailors ever to be seen in New Zealand with a number of international sailors entered and planning to attend the February regatta and line up against New Zealand’s local Paralympic sailors.
Sailing for the 2.4 Metre and SKUD18 Paralympic classes will be staged on the Waitemata Harbour with these sailors launching and retrieving their boats at Westhaven Marina. Racing for these classes starts on February 4th and runs for three days with final races and prize-giving planned for Sunday February 6th on the beach at Takapuna along with the Olympic classes.
Takapuna Boating Club is host to Sail Auckland Regatta for the first time in 2011, and they will provide the Race Management both on and off the water for all classes including the Paralympic events.
Prominent New Zealand Paralympic class sailors include Joshua McKenzie-Brown from Auckland and Andrew May from Christchurch in the 2.4 Metre class plus Tim Dempsey and Jan Apel sailing together in the SKUD18.
McKenzie-Brown as well as Dempsey and Apel travelled to the Netherlands in July to compete in the IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships in July this year, where the SKUD18 crew earned national qualification for the 2012 Paralympic Games for New Zealand.
These sailors and other kiwi entrants are already training hard in preparation for Sail Auckland 2011 in anticipation of some stiff competition from international rivals.
Read more>
ETNZ wins in Dubai
 BMWOracle skipper James Spithill congratulates Dean Barker on the team’s win.
Emirates Team New Zealand took the final of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai with a 2-nil won over America’s Cup holders BMWOracle.
The win – the fourth of the five LV events held since February 2009 –caps a successful 2010 for the team, having previously won at Auckland and La Maddalena and also taking the MedCup season championship.
The Dubai regatta brings to an end the era of the IACC class yachts that have raced America’s Cup regattas for 20 years.
The 34th America’s Cup which will be raced in 2013 in a new class of 72ft catamarans.
Conditions at Dubai on the final day were tricky and afterguards were tested as they the coped with shifts of 30-40 deg and marked changes in wind velocity. The day started with BMWOracle as favourites – being the form team at Dubai.
Keep reading here>
End of an era for BlackMatch Racing
This report from the team named Singapore Airlines Sailor of the Year 2010...Sailing in our last Regatta ever as a team, it was the end of an era for the BlackMatch Racing crew and it couldn’t have come in a more heartbreaking fashion.
After showing very mixed form throughout the week our hopes of qualifying for the quarterfinals all came down to our last race against the current World Tour leader Mathieu Richard and despite having a great early on advantage, we squandered our lead to bow out of the 2010 World Title Race.
Despite an extremely disappointing end to not only this year, but also our time sailing together as Team BlackMatch, we now have time to reflect and look at what we have achieved over the past 3 years, also to plan what the future holds for each of us. For BlackMatch Skipper Adam Minoprio he is set to join Emirates Team New Zealand in the Volvo Ocean Race, on to a new and exciting venture.
For the rest of the boys the future is a little less certain as to what will be the next challenge, but for the 5 Kiwi boys who embarked on a goal back in 2008 and were crowned 2009 World Match Racing Champions, it has been a great journey.
Adam, Dan, Tom, Dave and Nick would all like to say a massive thank you to our sponsors FedEx Express and Events Clothing/Line 7. Without the help and support over the years especially from David Ross and Fedex, none of this would have been remotely possible. We would also like to thank our friends and family back home in New Zealand, also to Emirates Team New Zealand and our yacht club the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, thank you.
Roberston and WAKA Racing win Australia Cup
 Phil Robertson and WAKA Racing claimed the Sunseeker Australia Cup late last month with a sublime performance ahead of the WMRT Monsoon Cup.
Photo by Theron Kirkman
Robertson, who had already qualified for the Monsoon Cup having won the Asian Match Racing Championship, was competing in Australia to boost confidence ahead of the World Match Racing Tour finale in Malaysia.
A jubilant Robertson, said: “We’ve just been in the groove. The boys were all just so relaxed, just loving it and having a ball out there. The course was pretty interesting; it was extremely shifty but a lot of fun to sail. I think we jagged that last one but we’ll take it.
The reigning National Champs went on to place 10th at the Monsoon Cup, and had this to say afterwards...
“This is the last event for us for the year,” says Robertson. “A bit of a shame for us to go out this way, but we’ve just had a couple of fantastic last regattas winning the Australia Cup and our New Zealand Nationals, so that’s been a real highlight for the season and we’re really looking forward to the next ranking release which is coming out in a couple of days time.”
Javelin Sailors Heading to Australia
 This report from Antje Muller
Two of New Zealand’s top Javelin crews are heading to Australia to compete in the bi-annual South Pacific Javelin Skiff Championships in Melbourne starting 27th December.
David Brown and Craig Gilberd have shown great form this spring season sailing the newly built Javelin Skiff "Trailblazer" to two wins in the class's North Island series.
Bridging the distance between Palmerston North and Auckland to sail together, they have managed to keep training over winter and started their season early at the Murray's Bay Winter Champs. Two weeks ago they dominated the fleet that came to a great event in Rotoiti. (Sail-World.com)
To confirm the state of their performance, they added a win at the Sir Peter Blake Memorial Regatta in Torbay to their achievements, even though they had to miss the last race in order to pack the container.
Craig is the current National Champion, having won that and many other titles over a sailing career that spans four decades. David's name is also on both the Nationals and the Sanders Cup trophy, and with his newly launched "Trailblazer" he is certain to make an impression on the other side of the Tasman. "It is important for our fleet to assess where we stand against the Australians", was his comment last weekend.
Peter Precey on Absolute Marine who is a past Sanders Cup winner and showing good speed this season is expected to be a force in the series as well. He has gone to Australia three times before mixing it up at the top of fleet.
The container is now all packed to go to Melbourne, and our best wishes go with the two crews representing the New Zealand Association in Australia.
The Javelin Skiff is an iconic class for New Zealand yachting, with a vivid history especially since being chosen for the Sanders Cup Interprovincial Challenge. For more news and further information, please have a look at www.javelins.org
Local Sailing
Tribute regatta a huge success in 2010
 The 2010 Sir Peter Blake Regatta was, as predicted, the largest yet with close to 450 entries making the regatta to be what the organisers believe to be biggest two day centre-board regatta in the Southern Hemisphere. 22 classes took part of three separate courses.
“It’s a fantastic tribute to Sir Peter, he would be incredibly proud of this event,” says Mark Orams, Torbay Sailing Club Vice Patron. “Youth focus remains at the heart of the regatta – many children choose to make the Sir Peter Blake the first regatta they compete in (along with their parents). This is something they will never forget.”
An appearance at the regatta prize-giving from Dean Barker was a highlight for the young sailors who gave him the ‘rock-star’ treatment requesting autographs on shirts, life-jackets and more.
14 year-old Jayvee Buchanan from Christchurch took out the Sir Peter Blake Trophy, in doing so becoming the first person to achieve this honour twice having been awarded the trophy last year also. First place also earned the young Cantabrian a day on board Emirates Team New Zealand Volvo boat – Camper as his prize, no doubt to the envy of the entire fleet.
“By sheer chance the Air New Zealand prize draw of a family holiday in Rarotonga went to Jayvee’s Dad, Winton Buchanan, who was tearfully lost for words,” reports Tony Pattison.
Saturday was fine and hot with ideal conditions to kick the regatta off once the sea breeze kicked in, and three races were completed on all courses. Sunday was also fine and hot, but the breeze was very light and shifty, with only the Air New Zealand course in closer proximity to land getting racing away in the morning for the Opti, Starling green and Techno fleets.
A south westerly shift in the afternoon provided a steady 10-12 knot breeze which allowed for racing for everyone including the Toyota and Burnsco Marine courses.
For full results see the Torbay Sailing Club website.
Bay of Islands Sailing Week Reminder
 Organisers of the Bay of Islands Sailing Week have issued a reminder to those intending to compete for the title of IRC National Champion for 2011.
“The following is clearly stated in the NOR but we just want to bring it to your attention: if you intend to compete in the IRC Nationals at the Bay Regatta you must enter either A or B Division.”
The rating split is: Division A if your IRC TCC is 1.175 or above and Division B if your IRC TCC is less than 1.175.
On from January 18th to 21st the Bay of Islands Sailing Week is now just over one month away. See the Bay of Islands Sailing Week website for the latest news and information.
TeamVodafoneSailing sets record in Around White Island Race
TeamVodafoneSailing has established a race record in one of New Zealand’s longest yacht races. The Orma 60 trimaran skippered by Simon Hull and a crew of seven completed the 310nm Around White Island Race in 27 hours and 11 minutes.
The fleet of 21 started at 1900hrs on Thursday 25 November, enjoying 20-25 knots from the SouthWest out of the blocks, which built to the thirties near Channel and Cuvier Islands.
But as South-Westers are prone to doing, this one dropped off almost completely overnight, meaning a slow dawn circumnavigation of New Zealand’s only active volcano.
While it built to 10-15 knots on the way home, with the boat cutting through the water in the company of numerous pods of dolphins and whales, the breeze disappeared again for about two hours at Cuvier Island, and came in at only 4-5 knots from the South-West on the return trip through the Hauraki Gulf.
“It was a good straightforward race, enjoyable and excellent to secure another race record,” says Simon Hull.
The race was TeamVodafoneSailing’s first overnighter and the boat carried less crew weight than normal.
“Weightwise that was a learning experience, to see how many people it took to operate in the breezier conditions,” says Simon Hull.
The next boat home was Roger Pagani’s Triple 8, finishing nearly 12 hours later.
White Island (Whakaari) is located 49km off the coast of Whakatane, on the East Coast of New Zealand.
Sunburst South Islands
 Sailors from Canterbury, Otago and Southland competed in the South Island Sunburst Championship at Otago Yacht Club recently.
Image: South Island Sunburst Champions Jake and Ben Hawker leading top secondary school team of Andrew Shearer and Conal Duncan, followed by second place-getter from Christchurch Craig Tomlinson and James Palleson (Sail number 413) by Alex Bruce
Sunbursts are the most popular two-handed sailing dinghy in New Zealand, and are used by all age groups from secondary school students to masters (over 50).
There was close racing between the seventeen boats and a southerly breeze tested the tactical abilities of all. In some races there were groups of up to four boats finishing within seconds of each other.
However, after five races on Saturday, Dunedin brothers Jake and Ben Hawker had established an unassailable lead prior to the final race on Sunday.
Second overall from Pleasant Point, Christchurch was Craig Tomlinson and James Palleson.
Third overall and first secondary school team was Andrew Shearer and Conal Duncan from Otago Boys High School.
First on handicap was the Bayfield High School team of Robert Soper and Joel Churcher (6th overall).
The Masters category was won by Peter Nees and Peter Wood of Dunedin (4th overall) and the Husband and Wife category was won by Peter and Catherine Shanks from Christchurch (7th overall).
Get your news published...
We’d like to see more interesting ‘grass roots’ stories from Yacht Clubs around New Zealand in this newsletter, so if you have a story to tell, or regatta report that you think is of interest to New Zealand’s yachting community email it to jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz and we’ll do our best to publish it.
Avoid writing a creative novel – we’d prefer something short and snappy of around 200-300 words -the most important information should be in the first sentence or two. Attach one or two images to the email if you have them with photo credit note if required.
Youth Sailing
2011 ISAF Youth Worlds NOR Published
 The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) recently published the Notice of Race for the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, the 41st edition of the championship being held in Zadar, Croatia from 7 to 16 July 2011.
Three hundred of the world’s top sailors representing over 60 nations are expected to descend on Sailing Club Uksok in Zadar next July for youth sailing’s blue ribbon event. Since its launch in 1971 the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship has gone from strength to strength, attracting ever increasing numbers of participants and nations and proving a springboard onto the world stage for many of the sport’s greatest stars.
Triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie (GBR), three-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts (NZL) and four time Olympic gold medallist Alessandra Sensini (ITA) are just three legends of the sport to have first made their mark at the Youth Worlds. The 41st edition of the Youth Worlds at Zadar in 2011 provides the perfect stage for the next generation of sailing stars to announce their arrival.
The Notice of Race for the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship contains all of the key details relating to the championship and is available to download from the championship website. Go to www.isafyouthworlds.com and click on Race Documents under the Essential Info tab.
Read more from ISAF here, and see the YNZ website Youth Sailing pages for a copy of the Selection Policy for the 2011 NZL Sailing Team.
as new information becomes available and will keep you informed with monthly updates on our progress and exciting announcements.
Principal sponsor to the 2011 Optimist National Championships include is Toyota New Zealand.
Going to the Starling Nationals?
The Starling Association would like to remind sailors intending to sail in the National Championships in Napier that under the new streamlined system, they must have their boats measured before they arrive.
In particular they should note the new regulation which prohibits masts rotating in any way except about the middle of the mast. Masts which previously pivoted off centre are now prohibited.
Measuring details can be found on the website www.starling.org.nz or contact your local measurer.
Of Interest
2011 ISAF Team Racing Championship Information
The ISAF Team Racing World Championship 2011 will be held at the Fastnet Marine & Outdoor Education Centre (FMOEC) in Schull, West Cork, Ireland from August 27 until September 4 next year. The 2011 Championship will feature both an Open competition, for the ISAF Team Racing World Championship Trophy, and a Youth (under 19) competition for the Ciudad de Gandia Trophy.
The venue at Schull is just 100 km from Cork Airport (ORK). It is ideal for Team Racing as the sailing area will be very close to shore and so it is very easy for spectators to watch the racing.
The Irish Sailing Association as the MNA of the venue is pleased to forward to you the links for information about the regatta and look forward to welcoming your Team Racers to Ireland in August.
For further information please contact the organisers directly by email: info@schull2011.com
Schull: http://www.schull2011.com
ISAF: http://www.sailing.org/teamworlds.php
Windsurf Movie Night fundraiser
 Auckland Windsurf Association and Poor Boyz Productions have put together a special event with proceeds to go to the Auckland Coast Guard and the AWA.“It’s perhaps the first time that Windsurfing has made it onto the big screen in New Zealand. Certainly the first time in a long time,” says Anton Blijlevens. “The movie we are putting on is a very recent release called The Windsurfing Movie II.”
When: 15th and 16th December at 8pm
Where: Berkley Cinema, Takapuna
How much: $15 - Tickets are available from WSP in Takapuna, Bayswater Windsurf, NZ Boardstore in Pt Chev.
About the movie... X-Dance Film Festival 'Best Director' winner Johnny DeCesare and water-cinematographer Jace Panebianco, spent three years in production and filmed in seven countries in search of windsurfing's new frontier.
The Windsurfing Movie II expands on the story lines of The Windsurfing Movie with legendary Red Bull riders Jason Polakow, Robby Naish and featuring 16-year-old phenom Kai Lenny.
Through interactions with windsurfing's rich cast of characters, Levi Siver learns that sometimes you have to go further afield to find the best wind and waves - and to eventually find the best in yourself.
More here: http://www.vimeo.com/17021860
What’s on...
Here’s a line up of yachting on around the country over the coming two weeks.
Visit our online calendar to see what’s on, and don’t miss out on some free promotion for your next event... submit your event to our online calendar here.
2010 NZ Women's National Keelboat Championships, 10 – 12 December
RAYC
more>
Techno Camp, 11 – 12 December
Venue: Sulpher Point, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
more>
Wellington P Class and Starling Champs - Incl Tanner Cup Trials, 11 -12 December
Worser Bay Boating Club
more>
Senior & Youth Classes Regatta incl. NI Int. Moth Champs, 11 – 12 December
Takapuna Boating Club
more>
Wakatere Junior Regatta, 11 December
Wakatere Boating Club
more>
Laser South Island Champs, 11 – 12 December
Nelson Yacht Club
more>
Campbell Regatta, 18 – 19 December
Owaka Yacht Club
more>
Classic Kiwi Boxing Day Regatta, 26 December
Manly Sailing Club
more>
2011 a big year for the Optimist in NZ
 Planning is well underway for the 2011 Toyota New Zealand Optimist National Championships which will be held over Easter from the 20-25 April 2011 at Narrow Neck Beach, Devonport in Auckland. The event is being hosted by the Wakatere Boating Club, (founded in 1926) in conjunction with the New Zealand International Optimist Dinghy Association (NZIODA), and is expected to attract over 350 sailors ranging in age from 9 to 15 years of age.
Alongside the crew of sailors are the supporters and volunteers making up a staggering and ever increasing number of 2000+ enthusiasts. Among our home-grown sailors will be various international competitors from Australia, the Asia Pacific region and a number of European countries given the upcoming world Optimist event being held in Napier later in 2011.
This event will not only serve to select the group of sailors that will represent New Zealand at several international events, but also be seen by the wider international Optimist community as an opportunity to spend some time in New Zealand in preparation for the Optimist World Championships that will be held in Napier from December 31st 2011-January 10th 2012.
Organisers are updating the official event website
ISAF Sailing World Cup Season Opener
The opening round of the 2010/2011 ISAF Sailing World Cup is nearly upon us with Sail Melbourne on next week at Queensland’s Sandringham Yacht Club. The Olympic and invited classes regatta runs from 13th to 18th December with six days of racing planned.
New Zealanders on the entry list for this key event include...
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke – 49er
Marcus Hansen and Aaron Hume-Merry – 49er
Miranda Powrie – Radial
Rachel Basevi – Radial
Sara Winther – Radial
Cushla Hume-Merry – Radial
Josh Junior – Laser
Tim Dempsey and Jan Apel – SKUD18
Annabelle Tye and Vaughan Robertson - SKUD18
Josh McKenzie-Brown - 2.4Metre
Brett Willcock - 2.4Metre
Good luck - go the kiwis!
Kiwi Paralympic Sailors take on the Aussies
 New Zealand’s Paralympic sailors are competing across the Tasman this month – at Sail Sydney, on now, and at Sail Melbourne – next week. Tim Dempsey and Jan Apel represent New Zealand in a fleet of seven SKUD18’s sailing in Sydney at the Woollahra Sailing Club right now.
The SKUD18 must be sailed by a mixed gender crew and encourages the participation of more severely disabled sailors by requiring a person of grade 1 or grade 2 disability to helm the boat. Dempsey helms the kiwi boat with Apel as crew, and the pair competed at this year’s IFDS World Championships where they qualified a spot for New Zealand at the next Paralympic Games.
Next week in Melbourne there will be four New Zealand Paralympic entries among the New Zealand team competing, including Dempsey and Apel in the double-hander. Annabelle Tye (skipper) and Vaughan Roberston (crew) will also line up against the Aussies in the SKUD18.
There are ten sailors entered for the single-handed 2.4Metre class including two kiwis – Josh McKenzie-Brown (pictured above) and Brett Willcock. The 2.4 Metre is sailed by both men and women and is open to all grades of disability.
NZL Sailing Team’s Burling and Tuke second at Aussie Nats
 49er sailing is hot across the Tasman and the NZL Sailing Team crew of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke are competing in a string of major regattas making the most of the top competition on offer in Australia. The kiwis placed 4th at Perth International Regatta where they were up against 17 of the World’s top 20 ranked 49er crews, all taking the opportunity to test the conditions.
“We went into the top-10 medal race in 8th overall, but the fleet was very tight with only 10 points separating 3rd from 13th. Finishing 2nd in the medal race (double points) saw us leap up to finish in 4th overall, only 2 points behind bronze. The regatta was comfortably won by Aussies Nathan and Iain,” they report.
From Western Australia it was back across the country to Sydney for the Australia 49er National Championships held on Lake Macquarie.
“The Aussie 49er nationals held on Lake Macquarie had a variety of conditions– up over 25 knots of exhilarating speed initially on day one – one competitor was taken to hospital with a dislocated shoulder, and a second suffered torn ankle tendons when his foot was caught in the foot straps in a capsize.”
“The rest of the regatta was all under 10 knots with fairly typical lake conditions - wind direction shifting all around the compass. We led by a couple of points after the second day and although it was close the last two days Nathan and Iain out-sailed us for us to finish 2nd.”
Currently the guys are competing at Sail Sydney Regatta, going from there on to the ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta – Sail Melbourne on between December 13 and 18.
Wanted: High Performance Operations Manager
 Yachting New Zealand is looking to appoint a High Performance Operations Manager. This is a fixed term position reporting to Yachting New Zealand Olympic Program Manager, Jez Fanstone.
This is an opportunity to play an important supporting role to New Zealand’s Olympic and High Performance Sailing Programme as we strive to win medals at World Championship and Olympic level.
A position description is available on our website and applications close on January 19th, 2010.
The purpose of this role is to provide operational and logistical services for Yachting New Zealand’s High Performance Programme with key tasks to include (but not limited to)...
• Equipment movement and shipping logistics
• Venue planning management and liaison for the ISAF World Championships and Olympics
• To provide assistance to the Olympic Program Manager as required in areas such as research and development projects
• Maintaining and developing relationships with key stakeholders
The role will suit someone with a high level of energy and a passion for winning. Experience in High Performance Sport as well as good management capability and sound skills in managing relationships and communication are required.
See our Situations Vacant page to download the detailed position description and information on how to apply. Applications close January 19th.
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