Please select your home edition
Edition
Trinidad and Tobago - Sail Service Stay

Flying Fifteen New Zealand National Championship 2023 at Lake Taupo Yacht Club

by Sally Garrett 16 Nov 2023 15:16 PST 11-12 November 2023

Thirteen Flying 15 from across the North Island converged on Taupo last weekend for the 2023 New Zealand National Championship. The fleet included six of the boats that travelled to Fremantle for the World Championship in March, plus sailors from Whangeri, Napier and Wellington.

The entire of the North Island was covered by a strong high pressure for the three days of the regatta, bringing clear skies, sun, excellent visibility and yes little wind. Ruapehu covered in snow was visible throughout the racing. The sailing was mentally tough with only one race a day completed on Friday and Saturday, then a flurry of 4 races on Sunday.

Hayden Percy and Scott Pederson sailing their beloved Fflorin won the first three races of the event, showing once again that silver boats are still competitive. They showed good speed in mirror to 5 knots, navigating between the puffs to stay out in front. Behind them the fleet was incredibly tight with 7 boats finishing in just over 30 seconds in the first race.

On Sunday with winds rising to maybe 6 knots the President found her speed as her crew Neil Easton finally made it to the windward side of the cockpit allowing them to win the 4th race of the event.

The last race was won by Wayne Avery and Jake Pye, a new combination from Auckland. Jake is better known for his successes in the foiling moth, being NZ and UK National Champion in the International Moth and also leading the World Champs until it was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Off the water the fleet enjoyed the camaraderie of the NZ Sport Boat fleet joining them at Two Mile Sailing Club for beer and pizza. The next event on the calendar is the Auckland Champs at Royal Akarana Yacht Club December 9 and 10, where the fleet will race with the Sport Boats, SR26 keelboats and the 18ft Skiffs.

Overall Results:

1st All female crew - FFortune - Jenny Price and Alana Pooley
1st Mixed crew - The GodFFather - Sally Garrett and Neil Easton
1st Skipper over 60 not in the top three - Rob Ward
1st Silver Boat - FFlorin - Hayden Percy and Scott Pederson
1st Classic Boat - FFidgit - Daren Courtnage and Alan Swinney

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Pts
13091Hayden PercyScott PedersenNapierOTL11171‑811
23662Wayne AveryJake PyeManly sailing clubOTL‑102632114
33840Murray GilbertJonathan BurgessRoyal Port Nicholson YCOTL2‑4244214
4NZL 4003Sally GarrettNeil EastonRoyal Akarana Yacht ClubOTL‑73415417
53714Rob WardMike ValiantOnerahi yacht clubOTL6535‑7322
6NZL 3841Marc RichardsonDavid McIntyreSandspit Yacht ClubOTL‑96723927
7NZL3740Sarah ReynoldsPeter MacartneyRoyal Akarana / Ponsonby CrOTL5756‑10629
8NZL 3754Gavin EarleGraeme RobinsonNapier Sailing ClubOTL3‑9898735
93771Sel PedersenNathan PercyNapierOTL8‑10986536
10NZL 3739Jenny PriceAlana PooleyRAYCOTL4‑11101091043
113088Andrew FowlerSteve PotburyNapier Sailing ClubOTL(DNF)81111111152
1239Daren CourtnageAlan SwinneyParemataOTL11(DNF)1212121259
133552ROGER KNIGHTLYALLAN DRAFFINONERAHI YACHT CLUBOTL(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNC70

Related Articles

Belgian Flying Fifteen Championship
Event had to be moved forward due to the Belgian elections The Belgian Flying Fifteen Championship took place on October 5th and 6th at the SNEH SC on the Plate Taille lake. Traditionally held on the second weekend of October, this event had to be moved forward due to the Belgian elections. Posted on 10 Oct
Early Autumn Select One Design Maximum Discount
Great savings on sails and covers at Hyde Sails, orders must be placed by 30th September Hyde Sails One-Design Sails have had another successful season on the water, we are currently offering a maximum autumn discount period for select classes allowing for great savings on sails and covers. Posted on 27 Sep
Llangorse Flying Fifteen Open
A healthy entry of twelve teams were drawn into the competition Last weekend saw the 'Mid-Wales' Flying Fifteen Open Meeting at Llangorse SC. A healthy entry of twelve teams were drawn into the competition, including ten boats from the home club. Posted on 25 Sep
Irish Flying Fifteen East Coast Championship
Clean sweep for McCarthy & McNally at Dun Laoghaire Shane McCarthy and Hugh McNally recorded a perfect score of five race wins to take the penultimate regatta of the Irish Flying Fifteen season, the East Coast Championship, hosted by the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire this past weekend. Posted on 23 Sep
Ovington Multiclass Open at the WPNSA Preview
This is the final big multiclass event of 2024! Entries are now open for our multiclass event down at Weymouth, WPNSA on 5th / 6th October. This is the final big multiclass event of 2024 and features top coaches Adam Bowers and Sam Pascoe, who will host a racing de-brief on Saturday night. Posted on 20 Sep
Flying 15 Northern Championship at Bass
Charles and Charlie Apthorp from Hailing Island win the trophy An excellent turnout of 50 boats for the Flying 15 Northern Championship, after high winds over the last couple of days, were greeted with plenty of sunshine and a mirror like lake, with a forecast of F1 from the east. Posted on 9 Sep
Ben McGrane's inside track on the sailing scene
One of Britain's great dinghy sailors keeps his finger on the pulse of many of the UK's big classes One of Britain's great dinghy sailors, who keeps his finger on the pulse of many of the UK's big classes, is Hyde Sails' Ben McGrane. Posted on 6 Sep
Chichester Harbour Race Week 2024
60th edition attracs 383 entries across 20 different fleets As Chichester Harbour Race Week 2024 reached its last-day climax, there was still all to sail for in many of the 20 different fleets competing. Posted on 2 Sep
Bournemouth Digital Poole Week 2024 overall
Studies in concentration A lot happened on the final day of Poole Week 2024. The wind was in one of its light and fickle moods, the tide was ebbing for the first starts, and the harbour was busy with traffic that had been mercifully light earlier in the week. Posted on 31 Aug
Bournemouth Digital Poole Week 2024 Day 5
The wind returns It might be in the realms of fantasy to imagine that what one writes in the report of one day's racing in a regatta could conceivably have a bearing on what the weather gods dish up the next day. Posted on 30 Aug
2024 fill-in (bottom)Trinidad and Tobago - Sail Service StayRooster Women's Wetsuit Range