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Airlie Beach

18 August 2010

Day 5 - Cloudy and a breeze of 8-10 knots

The Multi Hulls started the day's racing; Sirocco as the current leader in this division displayed her skills charging into the lead.

Living Doll (IRC Division) was in control at the start. On the short beat to windward at the first cross (.6 of a mile) Living Doll had to dip Wired - who was on starboard. At the top mark Living Doll was back in front closely followed by Wired, Lambourdini, Cracklin Rosie, Bobby's Girl and Victoire. After the first rounding there was little change in position and the boats soon blended into a distant skyline.

Living Doll got the double - Wired 2^nd home - followed by SUCH an exciting finish only seconds apart - Lambourdini-Cracklin Rosie-Victoire-Bobby's Girl. On handicap after Living Doll was Victoire - Cracklin Rosie - Lambourdini - Bobby's Girl and Wired.

IRC Racing Division 2 saw both 007 and Zen strutting their stuff, followed closely by Groove and Wyuna. O07 led the way off to the next mark. Readers might like to know that my (the writer) new friend Naddie from Wyuna is shorter in height than me - hence an immediate friendship - my 5 ft 2.5 inches was noticeable against Naddie's 4 ft 10.5, so I liked her even before we were introduced. Good things come in small parcels.....

At mark-rounding in Performance Racing was True Love - with Grant and Iris Bartlett from Opua Cruising Club on board on their annual racing sojourn at Airlie beach.

Peggy as the current leader in Cruising Division slipped past the media boat happy to be alone in the lead.

Peter Hall with his Kiwi crew from Bali Hai didn't have his usual cheery smile after the race. Said Peter, "It was a lighter breeze today and though the boat was sailing at 18-20 knots, a speed where we're usually compeititve, today just wasn't our turn. We stuck with the fleet pretty much when the breeze was up, but as it dropped off - so did we; and unfortunately finished up further down the fleet.

'Georgia is pictured here at rest' - but she's here.

I asked George Hendry "what's next?" - His reply? "I'm worried about Chris Dickson being so upset that we're dry sanding the boat tonight without him. But our skipper Jim Farmer has offered to stand in for him to keep the peace, and sand - and sand - and sand".

Des Brennan announces his departure

18 August 2010

From YNZ:

Des Brennan, Chief Executive has announced that he will be leaving Yachting New Zealand at the end of September.

"My time as Chief Executive has been exciting and greatly rewarding. Sport is a special enterprise and sailing for me has always been the absolute sport," says Brennan.

"I joined Yachting New Zealand early in 2005 following disappointing international results in the preceding Olympic cycle. The organisation lacked clarity of purpose and was under resourced. Today we have a great team of people at Yachting New Zealand. They will continue to take sailing forward."

"I have been offered and accepted the role of Marketing Director at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. The role is exciting and challenging - not unlike sport. For me this was an irresistible opportunity to be involved in assisting NZ business success on the world stage."

Jan Dawson, Yachting New Zealand's President, comments; "In the six years of his leadership, Des has provided strategic direction, built strong relationships with our partner funders and sponsors and developed a high performing management team. We will miss Des and we thank him and we wish him luck in his new position."

The process of finding a new Chief Executive for Yachting New Zealand is now underway.

International Speaker Harold Bennett this Friday

18 August 2010

RAYC

7pm

Harold has over 30 years of Coaching, Race Management, Event Management, Project Management and

Yachting Administration,

Harold has also managed a variety of projects - from the design and build of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's 40 ft patrol boat to organising the 2000 and 2003 America's Cup in New Zealand as Principal Race Officer.

In February 2005 he was contracted by Americas Cup Management Ltd as the Senior Race Officer for the 32nd Americas Cup to be held 2007 and was the principal race officer for the most recent 33rd 2010 Americas Cup held earlier this year.

Harold is an entertaining speaker and has a lot of experience to share with us this Friday.

Spot Door prizes

Finger food available

$20.00 entry.

$10 Junior

Navman - Fix it yourself

18 August 2010

I finally took the time to watch this gem that popped up on the forums - pure gold

Follow the thread here.

Tauranga Coast Guard

18 August 2010

Support the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard this Father's Day at Bayfair Shopping Centre

As the second largest maritime search and rescue unit in New Zealand, Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard is dedicated to making Bay of Plenty waterways a safer place for boaties. In the last year alone, the unit has received more than 23,000 radio calls, assisted 180 call-outs and clocked up more than 14,700 volunteer hours.

Funded mostly by member subscriptions and generous sponsors, Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard relies on these donations to keep its vessels in the water.

Next month, Bayfair Shopping Centre will be helping the Tauranga Vounteer Coastguard to spread the word about boating and water safety, while supporting the heroic work it does in the local community. On Sunday 5 September (Father's Day), the centre will host a special day out for the whole family, including 10 minute seminars on boating and water safety, a raffle giving away great prizes and many opportunities to make a donation to the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard.

The Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard was formed in 1986 by a group of boat owners and is affiliated to Coastguard New Zealand. It houses the regional headquarters of the Coastguard New Zealand Eastern Region and is operated by approximately 75 highly trained volunteers.

The unit provides two dedicated rescue vessels, has use of aircraft for searching, is networked to emergency services and runs a modern radio repeater network from a dedicated radio control room.

Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard Administration Officer Barry Elshaw says the unit appreciates the ongoing support from members, sponsors and the local community. "We are looking forward to being apart of the Father's Day celebrations at Bayfair Shopping Centre, and encourage shoppers to make a donation that will help the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard to make the most of search and rescue, maritime safety and marine education resources."

Bayfair Shopping Centre Marketing Manager Nina Rivett said, "It is a pleasure to be supporting the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard and the great work that it does for the local community.

"Many people in the area in some way or another have been influenced by the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard and with this special event on Father's Day we hope to encourage our shoppers to support the cause, and create awareness on how to keep safe on the water."

Father's Day at Bayfair Shopping Centre - Sunday 5 September

Shoppers can support the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard by taking part in the Donate to Dip Competition and by looking out for Coastguard volunteers who will be carrying donation buckets.
Tauranga Coastguard volunteers will also be in-centre to host 10 minute seminars about boating and water safety.
The Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard will also be hosting a raffle with some great prizes up for grabs including:
- A 3.6 metre Mac Boat, with motor and trailer;
- A 32" flat screen television;
- A two night stay at the Sebel Trinity Wharf for two people;
- A helicopter ride over the Bay for three people;
- Swimming with the dolphins for two people;
- A handheld VHF radio;
- Fishing rod and reel combos.

Airlie Beach

18 August 2010

Day 4 from Lesley Haslar:

Another day at the office

A clean start for Multi Hulls in a 10 Knots SE breeze; they roared across the line screaming down the bay headed out to Saddleback Island as the furtherest point. IRC boats were next, Living Doll leading the way with Wired hounding her, tack for tack. A much faster race today with the three Farr 40's crossing the finishing line only a minute and some seconds apart.

IRC Results today on corrected time: Living Doll 1^st - Victoire 2^nd - Lambourdini 3^rd - Cracklin Rosie 4^th - Bobby's Girl 5^th - Wired 6^th.

Sports Boats were a pleasure to watch, skipping across the water in close pursuit. Mr Magoo beat Ketchup home today - but tomorrow Ketchup will try again. This is a great young crew. Two adults, Dad (Steven) and Cord, and the three boys aged 9 - 11 and 12. We're all watching.

With skippers like Warwick Rooklin on Bandit (known from days of Apollo), racing against Cameron Myles on Roger That, (Cameron a past World Etchels champion), the daily chase is a happening thing.

Questionable Logic (Boat name Waterline) was first off the start-line in the Performance Racing fleet of nine. A pretty confident crew member heard to say, "First place is where we're planning to be".

The ten Kiwi crew on charter-boat Bali Hai (CruisingNon-Spinakker Division) were very noticeable in their colourful aloha-shirts. Peter Hall sets up the charter at Airlie beach each year through his company Yachting Events. Peter said with a smile, "the designer shirts are made out of the most hideous pattern we can find at an Otahuhu shop, we're right out there" - and they are...Today is a special day for one of their crew, Nigel - he's proudly hit the big sixty. The band 'Holly Cow" is performing tonight in the tent - word is that Nigel will also be performing.

Wired Crew - Will send names/ID later today

RQ 77 Save our Seas - see the NO PLAStic bags TOP OF MAST

Meridien Airlie Beach Race Week Day Three

16 August 2010

From Lesley Haslar:

A very light breeze welcomed day 3. Yachties forced to stand by for a couple of hours before beginning their day of battle. Wired's crew headed to the marina around 0930, optimistic about an increase in wind strength and start time. Wrong. The first race finally got away at 1300 hrs in 6-7 knots.

Living Doll and Wired slipped ahead of the fleet in Race One. At the rouding of the first mark, Living Doll showed a clean set of heels after a smooth spinnaker hoist. Not to be outdone, Wired followed with an equally polished hoist, sprinting after her adversary. Victoire was third around, followed by Bobby's Girl, Lambourdini and Cracklin Rosie. Word has it that Georgia is still out there on the ocean battling untold odds - fingers crossed she will join the fleet on Tuesday, Monday being a lay-day.

IRC results Day 3 Line Honours: Race One: Living Doll - Wired - Victoire - Cracklin Rosie - Bobby's Girl - Lambourdine (2 seconds) Race Two: Living Doll - Wired - Lambourdini - Cracklin Rosie - Bobby's Girl - Victoire

IRC results Day 3 Handicap: Race One: Victoire - Living Doll - Cracklin Rose - Bobby's Girl - Lambourdini - Wired Race Two: Living Doll - Victoire - Lambourdini - Cracklin Rosie - Bobby's Girl - Wired

Overall handicap up to Race Four is the same standing as Day 3 Race Two.

News flashes:

Excapade in Cruising Class Division One, a Northshore NXS 38 - yesterday had a confrontation with Pioneer Rock; she was towed off by a safety boat. However she was back on the race track today strutting her stuff coming in FIRST. Well done guys.
A boat to watch in the Sports Boat Division is Ketchup. Owned and skippered by Steven England, 'Dad' to his crew of three sons aged nine - eleven and twelve. This was the boy's ninth sail together. Their goal? Really simple; to keep improving - and to beat Mister Magoo.
Bali Hai is a Kiwi charter we will talk more about next report.
Finally - a conversation with Carl Webster (affectionately known as Webby) - Bowman on Wired. "The last two days there have been a few rusty manoeuvres as with any blended crew, but yesterday we started getting into the groove - we'll get better." This is Webby's 3^rd Airlie Beach Regatta and he's seen it improve year by year. "It's one of the best race weeks in Oz, a laidback approach with quality racing - I'll keep coming". Webby now lives in Brisbane working as Sailing Academy Coordinator for the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. He plans on continued racing on Wired 'whenever and whereever possible.'

Lesley Haslar Sunday

Excapade -

Wired Rounding Mark 1

Living Doll Mrk 1

Ketchup

Bali Hai

Strart Sport Boats

Meridian Airlie Beach Regatta - Day 2

15 August 2010

From Lesley haslar:

Light winds/SE was predicted for day two - but by mid afternoon it was 'light/NE to nothing'.

The start favoured Wired when Living Doll tacked too close; Wired was forced to alter course to avoid a collision. The '720' penalty not a good beginning for Living Doll.

The game was on....these two boats were tight all the way around the course, Living Doll initially playing catch-up and moving to 6 minutes ahead at White Island. But by Day Dream Island they were again neck-and-neck. From then on Living Doll slowly but surely sneaked ahead to cross the finish line with 4 minutes up her sleeve. Gillian Kearn who calls herself 'Living Doll's button-pusher and kite-packer' was quick to praise the Wired crew work saying, "It's more fun racing against another fast boat; a win so much more pleasurable when it's hard work".

IRC Division One - Day Two handicap placings saw Lambourdini in first place, Living Doll #2 - Bobby's Girl #3 - Wired #4 - Victoire #5 - Cracklin Rosie #6. Evolution Racing and Georgia did not start, the latter still at sea on her delivery trip.

Bronze for Winther at Sail for Gold

15 August 2010

Date: 15th August 2010
From: Jodie Bakewell-White

2010 Skandia Sail for Gold has come to a close after six days of racing in Weymouth, England at the venue of the next Olympic Games. New Zealand has clinched one medal with Sara Winther awarded bronze in the Laser Radial, and a further seven NZL Sailing Team representatives achieving a top ten finish.

Image: Sara Winther on the podium taken by Natalie McDowell

Winther has pulled off a personal best career result winning her first medal at a ISAF Sailing World Cup event outside Australasia with a bronze medal at the well attended 2010 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta in Weymouth. Earlier this year, Winther was achieved top five at French Olympic Sailing Week and she goes one better with this result.

Winther, who is 28 years old and represents the Takapuna Boating Club on Auckland's North Shore, made it to the podium by sailing with consistency despite a range of conditions throughout the six day series. After one average race on the opening day she hit her stride and returned solid race results from then on, improving her overall position as the series progressed putting herself in medal contention.

In last night's high pressure medal race Winther held her nerve and placed 5th which was enough to secure her the bronze medal behind Marit Bouwmeester of the Netherlands topping the class and Sari Multala of Finland taking the silver.

"It feels really good, especially after Worlds didn't go that well for me," says Winther. "I just felt at home here."

"The last two days we were close to the beach and it was really shifty, but for me that's just like Takapuna. I was just at home with it and felt really comfortable with the conditions."

When asked what has made the difference Winther says; "I now have some confidence in my speed around the course; it's grown since last year. I just feel I've got better confidence with my manoeuvres, and getting off the line, and I'm making better tactical decisions. I've been trying to be more consistent with my decision making throughout the entire race, and that's definitely made a difference in the placings."

"I had a 22nd on the first day, and a yellow flag in that same race, so I was really having to hold back on the down winds because of that flag. And any other points I got this week I was basically carrying because of the 22nd, so it was good to keep getting the top fives and top tens."

After two months competing in Europe Winther now returns home to New Zealand for a break from competition.

Over in the Men's single-handed dinghy event New Zealand had two sailors competing in the final medal race, Andrew Murdoch being the best placed as they took to the water and in with a shot at bronze. Racing home to cross fourth in the quick fire finale it wasn't quite enough to make the podium, Murdoch finishing an agonising two points adrift of third place in fourth overall.

Mike Bullot had a better medal race finishing second in medal race giving him seventh overall.

Two of the kiwis come away with a sixth place overall including Jon-Paul Tobin in the Men's RS:X who goes on from here to Kerteminde, Denmark for the 2010 World Championships. Tobin was fourth in the medal race.

Dan Slater comes away with a finish of sixth place in the Finn fleet after an eventful week of racing for him. Last home in the medal race he was unable to better his placing on the final day.

Another three kiwi crews were inside the top ten, all finishing in eighth place overall. They include Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie who were ninth in the Women's 470 medal race, Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk sixth in the Star class medal race and Peter Burling and Blair Tuke who were were seventh in the 49er medal race.

You can now follow the NZL Sailing Team via their Facebook page.

Full results, images and more information will be available on the regatta website. Media requiring high resolution images or footage can contact event media services on Sarah.Alexander@intotheblue.biz

2010 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta
New Zealand's Final Results

Star (36 boats)
8th Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk

Laser (180 boats)
4th Andrew Murdoch
7th Mike Bullot
14th Josh Junior
17th Sam Meech
23rd Andy Maloney
88th (27th silver fleet) James Sandall
128th (8th bronze fleet) George Lane
154th (34th bronze fleet) Spencer Loxton

Laser Radial (91 boats)
3rd Sara Winther
32nd Rachel Basevi
34th Miranda Powrie

470 Men (60 boats)
18th Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders
28th Geoff Woolley and Daniel Willcox
31st (1st in silevr fleet) Francisco Lardies and Finn Drummond

470 Women (46 boats)
8th Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie

49er (58 boats)
8th Peter Burling and Blair Tuke

Finn (50 boats)
6th Dan Slater

RS:X Men (75 sailors)
6th Jon-Paul Tobin
11th Tom Ashley

RS:X Women (50 sailors)
24th Natalia Kosinska
34th Stephanie Williams (40, 27, 23, 16, 44, 43, 37, 28)
35th Alice Monk (41, 34, 24, 31, 42, 33, 31, 20)

Women's Match Racing (24 teams)
13th overall - Stephanie Hazard, Jenna Hansen and Susannah Pyatt - Top of Silver Round Robin: 5 wins/0 losses

Dan's report

Today wasn't my best ever performance but the placings rolled over about 3-4 times during the race as the 7-8 knot breeze shifted inside the harbour.
At the start I was sure that the right would be the side up the first beat and I ended up 7th at the top mark . Down the run things went both sides as the fleet became a wall travelling down the course I rounded the right hand mark and headed to right and tacked early on the shift. However the sailors that went further to the right got lifted even more and laid the top mark this turned the results up side down and I became last. Things didn't get any better but the US sailor who was the only guy able to pass me overall was only 4 places in front so I was able to stay in 6th place overall.
I am happy with how the regatta went as I sailed really well upwind and probably won the regatta upwind but my downwind legs I can account for at least 35pts I lost during the regatta so I will have some work to do on that in the next few weeks prior to the World Champs in San Francisco at the end of August.
Im am now on my way to the US where I will have a few days off and then will get into some training with some of the other Kiwis and European sailors who are going there early to train.

Dan Slater

Simrad 60

15 August 2010

photo:SSANZ

They started a couple of hours late, no one knew what the weather would do even the morning of the race and it ended up a drifter in pouring rain. But some hardy souls stuck it out.

In the forums there was plenty of banter beforehand and the first reports from the boats are starting to come in, like this from ColJ:

Quarter pint. think we were first small boat home at 5am or something stupid like that. was farkin cold and faaaaarkin wet and doing my faaaarkin head in. would have pulled out at around 4pm but mumbo jumbo wouldn't unless we did, and we wouldn't unless they did and we don't trust each other.

i think Aaron from st fintain had the right idea. sabotage your own boat and pull out before the start.

been home for about 40 mins, had a feed and going to bed.

Follow it here

And this just in - the results are up click here. - 28 boats managed to see it through - congratulations.

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Crew.org.nz pennants - when you are out on the briney

let others know you are a crew ogre

$30 + shipping. Just flick an email to editor@crew.org.nz

Date: 15th August 2010 From: Jodie Bakewell-White

Date: 15th August 2010
From: Jodie Bakewell-White