Wairoa Yacht Club win 2011 East Coast Inter Club Championships

by Tim Sandall on 22 Mar 2011

Pristine Sailing Conditions on Poverty Bay - East Coast Inter Club and Poverty Bay Championships Ann Stannard

The Poverty Bay Sailing Championships regatta hosted by the Gisborne Yacht Club provided pristine sailing conditions for the third and final round of the East Coast Inter Club Championships between Napier Sailing Club, Wairoa Yacht Club and the Gisborne Yacht Club. With only three points separating the clubs going into the weekend a lot of regional pride was at stake and an exciting conclusion eventuated

Championship Winners Left to Right: Isaac Taylor ( East Coast Starling Champion ), Ricky Lugtig (East Coast Multihull Champion), Glenn Watt (standing in for Andy Woolfeild, East Coast Trailer Yacht Champion) and Adrian Mayhead (East Coast Inter Club Champion – Wairoa Yacht Club) - East Coast Inter Club and Poverty Bay Championships © Ann Stannard

Adrian Mayhead (Commodore of the Wairoa Yacht Club) receives the Port of Napier East Coast Inter Club Championship Trophy from Tim Sandall (Yachting NZ East Coast Councillor) - East Coast Inter Club and Poverty Bay Championships © Ann Stannard

With the six scheduled races completed in 7 to 12 knot easterly sea breezes some fabulous racing was had across a range of classes, including Trailer Yachts, Open Centre Boards, Multhulls and Junior classes.

At the conclusion of racing and with all points added up and reconciled only 1 point now separated the three clubs and with Napier and Gisborne tied on equal points it left Wairoa as the overall winner. This was a popular victory for the Wairoa Yacht Club and Commodore Adrian Mayhead was delighted with the result.

This is the third year the Inter Club competition has been run and now each club has won the title. The objective of this competition is to get Inter Club camaraderie going amongst the three East Coast Yacht clubs and to continue to grow and promote sailing at a competitive and recreational level across the East Coast Region where there are some of the best sailing waters in the country.

The weekend regatta also found three East Coast Class champions:
• Open Trailer Yacht – first Andy Woolfeild (GYC), second Tom Watson (GYC), third Glenn Watt (GYC)
• Open Multihull – first Ricky Lugtig (GYC), second John Reid (GYC), third Weta Sailing (GYC)
• Starling – first Isaac Taylor (NSC), second Duncan Milne (GYC), Nicole Stannard (GYC)

Other Class results were:
• Junior – first Rian Mayhead (WYC), second Grason Gaskin (GYC), third Benjamin Dobbie (GYC)
• Laser – first Ross Shanks (GYC), second Alex Mayhead (WYC), third Richard Stannard (GYC)
• OK Dinghy – first Rob Hengst (NSC), second Colin Shanks (GYC), third Adrian Coulthard (NSC)

Thanks must go to the Gisborne Yacht Club for again hosting a superb regional regatta and fantastic hospitality.