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Rotorua Sprints- 3-7 Class

by Chris Mitchell on 22 Oct 2009
#265 Lance O’Connell, series winner and demonstrating that twist can be fast. - Rotorua Sprints 2009 Patrol Boat Rotorua Yacht Club

The 3-7 Class took part in the Rotorua Yacht Club Sprint Regatta October 16/17th.

Other classes taking part were A Class Cats, 12 Footers and Javelins. There were seven races for each class on Saturday and a further five races on the Sunday.

The race management was amazing, after each race finish, there was only five minutes before the start of the next race, and we all lost count of how many races we had done, how we did and how many were left, eventually we didn't 'know which way was up'.

This is the second year in a row that 3-7 Class has taken part and it was so much fun, it is sure to be a permanent fixture on the 3-7 Calendar for many years to come. Hats off to Brian Gray and his team in Rotorua and the whole Club for making it a success on shore too.

The weather started out as a light Northerly and gradually built to a 20knot NW breeze that became too much for the 12's with their #1 rigs on. In fact it got pretty exciting for everyone.

In the 3-7 Class Derek Scott led the way and was fast in all breezes. On the Sunday, the breeze went further to the west and if anything got windier, Lance O'Connell led the way on Sunday to take the series.

#308 John Elliott, keeping the boat level and sprinting toward Vegas. - Rotorua Sprints 2009 © Patrol Boat Rotorua Yacht Club
#308 John Elliott, keeping the boat level and sprinting toward Vegas. - Rotorua Sprints 2009 © Patrol Boat Rotorua Yacht Club

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