Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments 2024 Leaderboard

Starling Nationals Day 4- Erica Dawson wins National Championship

by Julia Hamilton on 14 Apr 2012
Erica Dawson, 2012 Starling National Champion Murrays Bay Sailing Club http://www.murraysbay.org/



She is the first female in Starling history to make it into the top three, let alone win the Nationals. Erica sailed consistently throughout the regatta and ‘it was great to finish with a bullet,’ she quipped. Her domination of the last race set her clear to win the title. Oscar Rorvik finished in second, after a day which did not quite go his way.

Favourite Matthew Hughes had a tough day, but managed a bullet in the second race to place him fourth overall. Sam MacKay had a decent regatta to finish third overall.

Other awards in the open fleet went to Matthew Hughes for winning the Traveller Series, Zac Merton for youngest competitor in the top ten and Michael Stern as winner of the Silver Fleet.

The weather today proved difficult to pick for the sailors, with big shifts of pressure that were crucial to hook into in order to establish a place at the front of the fleet. Some of our front runners got tripped up with this, highlighting the importance of constantly sailing on the lifted tack.

In the development fleet, Julia Ebert took it out overall, after winning five races. This is a great achievement for her and should set her well on course for the open fleet next year. Amy Watt won the most courageous sailor award, and coincidentally also the rig pack from NZ Rigging, which was kindly donated.

The fickle conditions were a great roundup to the regatta, proving that Murrays Bay can put on all conditions to test the sailors’ all-round ability.


We had almost a record number of entries this year, which tends to suggest that the Easter spot is more popular than the New Year time, thus it was decided last night that next years South Island Nationals are to be held in the same spot.

This great regatta would not have happened without the enormous effort put in by the many volunteers, but particular mention goes out to Marie Mitchell for her fantastic job on results, Brett Craies for his amazing organization skills and hard work, Ian Mitchell for sponsoring the regatta, and other parents such as Julian Beavis, Gavin Closey, Gary Hughes and Lance Wickman for their time and dedication to this regatta. Also, behind every great man is a woman, and Wendy Craies, Toni Wickman, Serena Beavis, Nicky Beckman and Shirley Closey, deserve recognition for their time put into making it all happen, especially with the lunches and food. It is hard to thank everyone, but thanks to all the sailors who came and made the Murrays Bay Starling Nationals 2012 the great event that it was.

For full results for the Open fleet http://www.murraysbay.org/uploads/2012%20events/Starling%20Nationals/results/Final%20open%20results%202012.pdf!click_here and for the Development fleet http://www.murraysbay.org/uploads/2012%20events/Starling%20Nationals/results/Final%20development%20results.pdf!click_here

North Sails Loft 57 PodcastPredictWind - Offshore App 728x90 BOTTOMSwitch One Design

Related Articles

The Winner-Takes-All Race
Event format at the 49er, 49erFX & Nacra 17 Worlds could be the best option for the Olympics The 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships just held in Cagliari, Italy, could well be the most important held in the class. Not just that, it may influence how sailing happens at the Olympics.
Posted today at 7:00 pm
Vaikobi's top-rated polarized shades
VIZE+ Polarized Ocean Eyewear - lenses made for the ocean environment With lenses made for the ocean environment, Vaikobi's VIZE+ Polarized Ocean Eyewear is too good to look away. But don't just take their word for it... all their polarized sunglasses have been tested and reviewed by ocean frothers all over the world!
Posted today at 5:30 pm
Thomas Ruyant aims for a three-peat in IMOCA Class
There will be 18 two-handed IMOCAs on the Transat Café L'OR startline The Transat Café L'OR from Le Havre to Martinique, which forms the finale of the 2025 IMOCA season, is now just 12 days away and it's a classic course that has attracted a stellar field.
Posted today at 3:10 pm
A Q&A with Chris Alexander on the 2025 VX One NAs
Chris Alexander on the 2025 VX One North American Championship This year's VX One North American Championship will be hosted by the Gulfport Yacht Club, in Gulfport, Mississippi from October 16-18, and will feature eleven scheduled races on the waters of the Mississippi Sound, near the GYC.
Posted today at 3:00 pm
All change in the Endeavour Trophy
A dramatic twist in the results after a request for redress was reopened by the Protest Committee The 64th Endeavour Trophy has seen a dramatic twist in the results after a request for redress was reopened by the Protest Committee when they realised that a significant error may have been made at the initial hearing.
Posted today at 2:37 pm
Manly 16s Club Championship Heat 3
Crazy doesn't begin to explain the finish Crazy doesn't begin to explain the finish to third heat of Manly's club championship on Saturday.
Posted today at 1:45 pm
Macif renews its commitment to ocean racing
A new IMOCA program 2027-2030 with Sam Goodchild as skipper Macif announces the continuation of its commitment to ocean racing with an ambitious project that will begin in 2027 and end in 2030. The IMOCA MACIF will be on the starting line of the Vendée Globe 2028-2029.
Posted today at 11:01 am
Belgium Ocean Racing breaks Class40 24hr record
452.22 nautical miles at an average speed of 18.84 knots At an average speed of 18.84 knots, a superb performance by the Jonas Gerckens Belgian team competing in the 2nd edition of the GLOBE40 with Benoit Hantzperg and Renaud Dehareng on board for this leg 2, covering 452.22 nautical miles in 24 hours.
Posted today at 5:37 am
America's Cupdate: October 10, 2025
Sailing Illustrated's Tom Ehman and Sail-World's Richard Gladwell dissect the America's Cup. Sailing Illustrated's Tom Ehman and Sail-World's NZ Editor, Richard Gladwell discussed the latest developments in the America's Cup, last Friday/Saturday (depending on your time zone) on sailing's only regular live video podcast.
Posted today at 5:23 am
Sydney - Auckland Ocean Race: Lucky wins
The USA registered pocket maxi Lucky, formerly Rambler 88, has taken line honours in the Sydney Auck The USA registered pocket maxi Lucky, formerly Rambler 88, has taken line honours in the Sydney Auckland Ocean Race - crossing the Tasman in in just 68hrs. Four yachts are still racing.
Posted today at 2:12 am