2025 North Island ILCA Champs, Napier SC
The conditions over the two days were varied to say the least, with the breeze ranging from 0 knots from the south, 12 knots from the NE, to +25knots from the NW and lots of cracking shifts to keep sailors and the race committee alike on their toes. The breeze got so fresh on Sunday afternoon that proceedings were cut short after race six...to the relief of many!
The ILCA 6 fleet was a bit smaller than what we have seen in recent years with 21 starters however it was was of very high caliber - the hard work being put in certainly shining through. Tom Pilkington dominated the series winning four of the six races, coming second in the other two taking our the overall and youth titles - this exceptional performance is an excellent precursor for the upcoming youth world championships.
Second place to 6th was far closer with Phil Wild sneaking into second, also securing first master, and rookie Isaac Giates pulling an excellent regatta together to round out the top three. Special mention to Toby Dunn (6th), who along with Wild, was the only sailor other than Pilkington to notch up a race win.
Chloe Turner, U17 World Champion was first Female, Youth Female, 5th overall and, with Tom, leaves later this week for the Youth World Championships in Vilamoura.
In the ILCA 7 it was Tom's big brother George Pilkington who prevailed after a great battle with Sam Clarke. Between them they won all the races with both Liam Dimock and Beau Utting also right on the pace throughout, finishing 3rd and 4th respectively. Best of the Masters was Niall Pearson (AM) from Worser Bay followed by club mate Simon Beck (M) and NIck Page (GGM).
It was as usual a very competitive and enjoyable regatta and few will forget the ride home after race 6. The 25++ wind bullets and a steep chop provided a memorable flat run home, with many stories of spectacular wipeouts recounted on the beach once all were safely home.
| ILCA 7 |
| Rank | Name | Yacht Club | Sail# | R1 29/11/25 |
R2 29/11/25 |
R3 29/11/25 |
R4 29/11/25 |
R5 30/11/25 |
R6 30/11/25 |
Total | Nett |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | George Pilkington | RNZYS | 211574 | (3) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 |
| 2nd | Sam Clarke | MBSC & RNZYS | 218112 | 1 | 2 | (3) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 12 |
| 3rd | Liam Dimock | TYC/MBSC | 219921 | (5) | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 19 |
| 4th | Beau Utting | RAYC | 8 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | (9) | 18 | 27 |
| 5th | Niall Pearson | WBBC | 219304 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | (7) | 4 | 23 | 30 |
| 6th | Simon Beck | Worser Bay Boating Club | 226522 | 6 | (8) | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 30 | 38 |
| 7th | Nick Page | Pupuke | 211519 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 8 | (10) | 8 | 35 | 45 |
| 8th | Mike Knowsley | Tamaki YC | 217473 | (13) DNF | 7 | 13 UFD | 6 | 8 | 6 | 40 | 53 |
| 9th | Edward Dewhirst | Wakatere Boating Club | 217839 | 9 | (11) | 10 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 41 | 52 |
| 10th | Jake Millar | Gisborne/Hamilton | 181811 | (10) | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 47 | 57 |
| 11th | Ken Atchison | Hamilton Yacht Club | 192705 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 12 | (13) DNC | 13 DNC | 50 | 63 |
| 12th | Florian Garmann | NSC | 189419 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | (13) DNF | 56 | 69 |
ILCA 6
| Rank | Name | Yacht Club | Sail# | R1 29/11/25 |
R2 29/11/25 |
R3 29/11/25 |
R4 29/11/25 |
R5 30/11/25 |
R6 30/11/25 |
Total | Nett |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tom Pilkington | RNZYS | 221092 | 1 | (2) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 2nd | Phil Wild | MBSC | 211509 | (8) | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 22 |
| 3rd | Isaac Gaites | MBSC & RNZYS | 222184 | 3 | (22) UFD | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 40 |
| 4th | Arran Begic | MBSC | 226526 | 5 | (22) UFD | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 42 |
| 5th | Chloe Turner | MBSC | 223091 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | (10) | 4 | 22 | 32 |
| 6th | Toby Dunn | MBSC | 222175 | 4 | 1 | 6 | (12) | 7 | 5 | 23 | 35 |
| 7th | Thomas Linklater | TYPBC | 220056 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 3 | (12) | 32 | 44 |
| 8th | Lukas Johnson | TYPBC/Raglan | 228156 | 13 | 9 | 8 | (15) | 8 | 7 | 45 | 60 |
| 9th | Werner Hennig | HYC | 210823 | (12) | 6 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 47 | 59 |
| 10th | Jed Potbury | NSC | 215594 | (16) | 8 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 10 | 49 | 65 |
| 11th | David Johnson | TYPBC/Raglan | 212250 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | (22) DNF | 22 DNF | 49 | 71 |
| 12th | Scott McDougall | Hamilton Yacht Club | 217619 | 10 | (13) | 12 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 51 | 64 |
| 13th | George Turner | MBSC | 208519 | (14) | 11 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 66 |
| 14th | Graeme TEE | Port Ohope YC | 222075 | 11 | 12 | 14 | (22) DNF | 12 | 8 | 57 | 79 |
| 15th | Murray Bain | Tamaki | 220013 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 14 | (22) DNC | 22 DNC | 70 | 92 |
| 16th | Ryan O'Neill | New Plymouth YC | 208523 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 9 | (22) DNF | 14 | 71 | 93 |
| 17th | Rick Spencer | HYC/TYPBC | 214992 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 14 | (22) DNF | 84 | 106 |
| 18th | Gill Waiting | NSC | 188800 | 19 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 15 | (22) RET | 84 | 106 |
| 19th | Steve Harris | WBBC | 790 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 17 | (22) DNC | 22 DNC | 87 | 109 |
| 20th | Arlo Nicholson | NSC | 210160 | (22) DNF | 18 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 22 RET | 95 | 117 |
| 21st | James Martin | Muritai Yacht Club | 210816 | (22) DNC | 22 DNC | 22 DNC | 22 DNC | 22 DNC | 22 DNC | 110 | 132 |