Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series #2: Shapeshifter triumphs in shifty Marsden Cove showdown
by Gareth Howard - Elliott 5.9 Association 18 Jun 16:22 PDT
19 June 2026
Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series #2 - Marsden Cove - June 13-14, 2026 © Elliott 5.9 Assoc
The Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series headed north for Event #2, assembling a highly competitive 11-boat fleet at Marsden Cove Marina over the weekend.
Racing on the open waters of Bream Bay promised wide-open tactical options, and it delivered exactly that, serving up an incredibly close regatta where consistency proved to be the ultimate winning currency.
Conditions on the first day of racing were light, presenting a tactical puzzle as the breeze steadily shifted left throughout Saturday. Despite the challenging and changing conditions, the race committee did an excellent job to fire off five good races.
Unfortunately, Sunday brought a complete lack of breeze. With not enough wind to get racing underway on the second day, the regatta was called on Sunday morning, meaning the final scorecards were decided entirely on the five races completed on Saturday. Because only five races were sailed, no drop came into play, making every single finishing position crucial.
Proving the value of their new crew combinations and showing the form that won them the National Championship earlier this year, Shapeshifter claimed the regatta victory. In a fleet where no single boat could dominate—producing four different race winners across the five races—Shapeshifter’s weapon was pure consistency. They were the only boat to avoid a heavy scorecard blow, never placing outside the top four (3, 1, 2, 3, 4) and execution of a few brilliant come-from-behind performances proved to be the key to their success.
Revelry claimed second overall. While they picked up three impressive second-place finishes, a 5th and a 6th prevented them from snatching the top spot. However, backing up their Event #1 victory at Lake Rotoiti with a second-place finish here keeps Revelry at the top of the overall Traveller Series leaderboard heading into the next rounds.
The local heroes on Zoot Allures were a massive threat on their home waters and looked poised to disrupt the frontrunners. After four races, they were sitting in a commanding position to win the regatta altogether, having stacked up an incredible scorecard that included a 2nd and back-to-back wins in Races 3 and 4. However, the shifty Bream Bay waters caught them out in the final race of the day. A costly 10th-place finish in Race 5 shattered their title hopes, dropping them down to third overall with 20 points—just three points shy of Revelry and seven back from Shapeshifter.
The final results sheet highlights just how remarkably close the one-design racing is right through the Elliott 5.9 fleet, with absolute dogfights settling the mid-fleet standings:
- Reggae Shark backed up their strong Rotoiti return with a brilliant win in Race 1, ultimately finishing 4th overall on 21 points.
- Dirty Circus put together a remarkably consistent day (4, 4, 5, 5, 6) to lock down 5th overall with 24 points.
- Bloodline took the win in the final race of the day, allowing them to bounce back and claim 6th overall with 25 points.
- Slam Dunk finished just behind them in 7th on 28 points, anchored by a great 3rd-place finish in Race 5.
- NYX showed great mid-fleet consistency to take 8th place cleanly with 34 points.
The tightest battle of the weekend took place at the tail end of the fleet, where 9th, 10th, and 11th places were decided by a mere single point. Razorback and the Class Act youth development boat finished completely tied on 49 points, with Razorback taking 9th overall on a countback thanks to an 8th-place finish in the final race. Local boat Frivolous Fish finished just one agonising point behind them on 50 points to round out the incredibly tight 11-boat fleet.
True to the class’s reputation, the social side of the weekend was just as lively as the racing. Crews had an excellent time catching up at the Marsden Cove Fishing Club on Friday night, before heading to the Porthouse Bar & Eatery on Saturday evening. The atmosphere was electric as the fleet crammed in to watch the high-stakes Super Rugby semifinals.
With the Chiefs and the Hurricanes successfully booking their spots in the grand final, the rugby results have officially ignited some fierce inter-regional rivalry within the class. Expect plenty of banter both on the dock and on the water as the winter series continues.
The Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series continues at Whitianga 1st – 2nd August
Follow results and pictures online www.facebook.com/elliott5.9 and for more information on the Elliott 5.9 Class Association visit elliott59.weebly.com
Previous results can be found here elliott59.weebly.com/results.html
About The Elliott 5.9
The Elliott 5.9 emerged in the early 1980’s as a high-performing trailer yacht and continues to deliver competitive one-design racing in a welcoming fleet of world-class sailors and novices alike. The boats started a revolution with their well-balanced and cost-effective design, and quickly became the boat of choice for top club training schemes and a breeding ground for NZ’s America’s Cup, Ocean Race and Olympic champions.
Sailed by a crew of three, the Elliott 5.9 remains a low-maintenance sailboat with an efficient single spreader fractional rig, a well-balanced sail plan and a practical deck layout. Whether sailing among mixed trailer yachts, sport boat fleets or in a one-design setting, the 5.9 is celebrated for its responsiveness and outstanding value.