P Class: Zofia Wells wins PredictWind Tanner Cup - Day 2
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 5 Jan 23:31 PST
Zofia Wells. PredictWind Tanner and Centenary Cup - Day 2. Monday 5 January, 2026 © Suellen Hurling / Live Sail Die for PredictWind
Zofia Wells (Glendowie BC) has become just the third female in over 80 years of competition, to win the Tanner Cup for open regional competition in the P Class.
Only two female sailors have won the Tanner Cup, double Olympic medalist, SailGP and Womens America's Cup sailor, Jo Aleh, and 2024 Olympic Bronze medalist in the Nacra 17, Erica Dawson.
Sailing in northerly breezes which struggled to get above 7.5kts, Wells sealed her Tanner Cup victory with a win in the final race, putting her 9pts ahead of Lauchy Wills (Howick SC), who was the big mover on the second and final day of the PredictWind sponsored regatta.
Wills finished second in both Races 4 & 5, and then placed 4th in the final race of the day. The next four boats were covered by just 3pts, underlining the intense and unforgiving competition.
However Zofia Wells was the most consistent sailor in the difficult conditions, sailing on the Waitemata Harbour in the windshadow of Rangitoto Island. She and Wills both represented Auckland in what is now a regional contest, but was originally sailed between sailors representing ports from around New Zealand.
Cantabrian Luca Blundell, from the Charteris Bay BC, finished third overall, with three places in the top five in each of today's races.
Greta Hutton (North Harbour) who was second overall going into the final day, got away to a good start with a fourth in the opening race of the day, and looked set to at least retain her overnight place. However a couple of double digit places in the final two races resulted in her dropping to sixth in the 17 boat fleet. She was only 3pts out of third overall.
In the Centenary Cup fleet, for sailors who missed selection for the Tanner Cup, Hamish Brown (Wakatere BC/Murrays Bay SC), who was the winner of the 2025 Tanner Cup, showed fine form to win all six races, and was able to drop a win in race 1 as his discard score.
Two female sailors Fiona Stevens and Annika Wells, both from Glendowie Boating Club, finished second and third, and like most of the fleet had to rely on their discard score, to keep their net score under control, in the light and shifty conditions.
Annika Wells is sailing P15, Stacatto, sailed by John Moyes to win back to back Tanner Cups and Tauranga Cups in 1968 and 1969. Stacatto is now owned by twice America's Cup winner and Olympic Bronze medalist, Craig Monk who won the 1983 Tanner Cup.
For full results: www.sailwave.com/results/KYC/PClassTanner&CentenaryCup2026.htm
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