REAL NZ Festival of Sails underway with RPNYC Ambassador's Race
by RPNYC Events on 20 Sep 2011
Nice downwind sailing conditions for Ambassadors - RPNYC 129th Opening and Ambassador's Race Chris Coad Photography
http://www.chriscoad.co.nz/
The REAL New Zealand Festival of Sails, three weeks of back to back sailing action on Wellington Harbour, running from 17 September through to 10 October, got under way this past weekend with the Ambassador's Race coinciding with 129th Season Opening for Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club.
The formalities began in the morning with a speech by her worship Celia Wade Brown, Mayor of Wellington, who spoke about the strong partnership that exists between Wellington City Council and Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club in order to develop the Clyde Quay Boat Harbour as a key part of the overall Wellington Waterfront. The Mayor was followed by His Excellency Sureesh Mhetta the Indian High Commissioner who set the tone for the Ambassador's race by laying down the challenge to the fourteen other countries represented.
After the breaking of the burgee thirty eight yachts gathered in the inner Wellington Harbour for the start of the race. The wind gods played along with the day ushering in a ten knot southerly breeze that saw the fleet sail past Point Jerningham down towards the Ngauranga Gorge and back to inner harbour to complete the racing.
A little like the octopus at the Soccer World Cup the race was billed as a predictor of things to come with the Rugby World Cup. Thankfully Celia Wade Brown with the weight of New Zealand on her shoulders made a late dash for the finish line to be the first of the World Cup nations to finish.
Once all the handicaps were taken into the account the race went to Mexico represented by Her Excellency Leonora Rueda sailing on Black Swan with Ran Tan taking out the fastest time and Blurred Image winning on club handicap
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