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- 8-9 March - ILCA North Island Freshwater Champs - Lake Taupo YC
Champions Crowned
Two races today for all fleets completed a very successful contest, with all races completed on schedule. Today the fleet had the lightest breezes of the series, with a weak NE sea breeze which never really got much over 5 knots and consequently pretty flat water. The breeze just held in long enough for all fleets to complete the two races, with the final fleet having to have their course for the second race shortened before the breeze completely disappeared.
In the ILCA 6 Open fleet the women reigned supreme, with a women's trifecta at the head of the 60 boat fleet.
Annabel Rennie-Younger, who was tied for the lead going into todays races, had a consistent day to wrap up the title by 9 points. Greta Pilkington, who had a stellar day with two bullets, jump up to second overall in the rankings, while Olivia Christie, who was joint overnight leader, struggled a bit with the light conditions and had a couple of tougher races to end up third overall.
Continuing the strong women's showing in the large fleet, Naomi Ferrissey wrapped up the youth girls title with two solid races, ending up an extremely creditable 11th in the overall fleet. Manly's Maddie Rist was second youth girl ahead of Daniella Wooldridge. In the youth boys George Pilkington held on to take the title ahead of a fast finishing Louis Poletti, who's third and forth places today were the second best on aggregate in the fleet behind Greta. George finished forth overall and Louis sixth, split by leading male open sailor George Lane in fifth. Ethan Fong was third youth boy just a point behind Louie.
In the 40 boat ILCA 7 fleet the title was there for the taking for Luke Deegan after his exceptional day yesterday and he made no mistakes, with two top 4 placings seeing him finish 12 points clear at the top of the table to convincingly take the title. He was followed by a pair of U21 sailors, both showing real talent in their first season in the ILCA 7. Caleb Armit had two good races today to finish a clear second ahead of Dylan Forsyth in third. Forth overall and thus winner of the ILCA 7 Masters title was Scott Leith, who's first and third today was only bettered by fifth placed Luke Cashmore, who was first and second in todays races, but having to carry an OCS from earlier in the regatta prevented him having a chance of taking the title.
Dean Barker continued his impressive return to the ILCA fleet today, ending up second overall in the Masters to Scott, although only just as he finished tied on points with top GM and last years Masters title holder Andrew Dellabarca. Top AM was Tim Pitchaithly, just 4 points back from Dean and Andrew. He was closely followed by Cris Brodie who was second in the Grand Masters while Barry Cutfield was top GGM.
In the 25 strong Radial Masters fleet Phil Wild had the series wrapped up with a race to spare, winning todays first race and then having the luxury of sitting out the last race. Top AM Josh Edmonds was second overall ahead of Master's David Johnson and Ed Tam in third and forth overall. GM Werner Hennig finished the series on a high, winning the final race to lead the Grand Masters division and secure 5th overall ahead of fellow GM and Hamilton club mate Scott McDougall in 6th. GGM Pete Thomas was a creditable 8th overall while Georgina Wooldridge had a couple of solid races to wrap up the women' masters title from Helen Spencer and Kirsty MacDonald.
So another highly successful ILCA nationals has seen a record ILCA 6 youth turnout, new champions in almost every division, a really strong women fleet and most importantly lots of happy faces after 10 great races. Thanks to Murrays Bay for being a wonderful host for the contest and especially to race officer Dave West, who delivered us great races in spite of the often challenging conditions. We look forward to next years contest in Napier and a continuation of the 50 years of Laser/ILCA tradition of exceptional quality one design racing.
Nick Page
ILCA.nz
New Zealand ILCA (Laser) Nationals - Day 3
New Zealand ILCA (Laser) Nationals - Day 2
Today was BIG. 3 races, big shifts, big gusts, big waves, big opportunities, big winners; it was a tough but rewarding day at Murrays Bay for day 2 of the ILCA Nationals.
Racing on Saturday was in light and shifty winds after a short delay. The wind conditions meant that a good start was important, and the shifts had their winners and losers. Though as usual a group in each fleet mastered the conditions better than the rest. The day ended with only 3 points separating the top 3 in both fleets. With Darryl and Peter leading their respective fleets. Local sailors dominated the Radials, but the out-of-towners did better in the Full Rigs. It was then back to the club rooms for a post-race BBQ and catch up.
The forecast for Sunday was no wind until midday, so the fleet was kept ashore until the wind swung round to the northeast and filled in for a pleasant 10 to 12 knots. It was then just a quick sail out to the course for 3 more back-to-back races that produced some close racing as the conditions suited most people. The slightly stronger winds created a few changes in the Radials standing with plenty of close racing. It was then back to Vauxhall Yacht Club for a post-race meal catch up and prize giving.
In both fleets we had new names for the trophies this year. In the Full Rig fleet it was Daryl Parkes (Bluff Yacht Club) year, followed by James McAlister (Otago Yacht Club) and Nick Page (Pupuke Yacht Club).
In the Radials the second day resulted in a change in the top 2 places. Jenny Armstrong (Otago Yacht Club) had a good second day to lead Peter Graham (Vauxhall Yacht Club), and son Zach Stibbe (Otago Yacht Club). This also gave Jenny the clean sweep with first Master and first Women.
A great weekend was had by all in the deep south. Vauxhall Yacht Club were their usual great hosts and made sure everyone was well feed and watered. The weather played its part providing 2 days of mixed racing and giving the race officer (Martin Balch) a few challenges. The sailing was a good warm-up for those going to nationals in January. Those staying local there are still 3 more rounds of the Southern Traveler series to go. Next Years South Islands will be in the Christchurch area.
Thank you again to all those that made the effort to attend, those that gave time to run the event and the sponsors who help make it all possible.
Rob English
After missing a year due to Covid we were happy to be back in Napier for our ILCA North Island champs on the November 26th and 27th.
In recent years Napier Sailing Club has hosted us as part of their Summer Regatta which has become a signficant fixture on the national sailing calendar. The clubs volunteers do a fantastic job on and off the water. This year there were more than 160 boats across 9 classes. ILCA 6 & 7, Paper Tigers, OK's. together on the outer course. Zephyers, Europes, Optimists, O'Skiff and Starlings on the inner course. NSC now have to host the trailer boat classes on a different weekend.
Andrew, our race officer, gave us a Triangle/Windward-Leeward course finishing at the top. He cleverly balanced T1 and T2 wing and bottom mark variations to try to separate the fleets. On Saturday the sunny Noreaster setlled in before our 11:30am start, giving us a stable 5 to 8 knots all day for 4 races. Despite a forecast for showers on Sunday we had similar light sunny NE conditions for 2 of 3 races. Only the final race had a stronger 15 knot breeze and full hiking.
'Managing the fleet' was the big tactical challenge for the weekend. Especially when the 17 downwind ICLA7's met 49 reaching ILCA 6's at the bottom mark in the light conditions
In the ILCA6 the conditions suited the Fiji Olympic rep Sophia Morgan on Saturday. But she was sharing bullets with Greta Pilkington who managed to sneak past on the Sunday to win the overall regatta by one point. George Lane stayed consistent to come 3rd overall, pipping Ed Tam in 5th for the masters trohpy. George Pilkington had a bullet in the breezier final race to get 4th overall and the male youth trophy.
The ILCA7 result was more cut and dried, as Caleb Armit won every race. But it wasn't as one sided on the course where Dylan Forsyth and Matthew Rist pushed Caleb quite hard. Tim Pitcaithly was the eventual masters winner, after he and Andrew Dellabaca traded blows with the leading group. The rest of the masters were a step back to fill out the fleet.
Thanks again to Napier Sailing Club for a great weekend.
Mike Knowsley
Murrays Bay held the long running Stack Winter Champs over the weekend 15/16 October and turned on a wide range of conditions at what will be the venue for the upcoming ILCA 2023 Nationals. The event was run very well with RO, Nick Olson and team dealing with some tricky conditions not to mention a cold snap that really made it feel like it was still winter.
While full rigs weren’t able to compete the radial fleet was strong with an excellent turn out from competitors from all over the country as far north as the Bay of Islands/Taipa and as far South as Dunedin with Queen Charlotte, Tauranga, Napier, Hamilton as well as Auckland all well represented.
Day one was Easterly, lightish and got lighter through the day. Reigning female National Champ, Greta Pilkington, leveraged her recent European experience to be the stand out performer with two wins: gliding past some old hack to take the lead and extend in the first race. Zach Stibbe snuck into second on the line with Phil Wild in 3rd. Race two softened even more and saw a lot of place changes throughout the race – most notably was Greta who worked her way up into the lead with George Lane second and George Pilkington in 3rd. Racing was then abandoned for the day.
Day two was 15-20knots from the SW and garnered a great deal of excitement on shore from those keen to smash the beats and send it on the reaches. Interestingly enough, it was the older hands who had the legs over the course of the day. Race one saw a lot of place changes with initial race leader opting to sail another course, a couple of capsizes here and there and shifts typical of a puffy south wester. Lane showed consistency and was quite happy to watch numerous boats around him mess things up and found himself in the lead with a couple of legs to go. George Pilkington repeated his previous solid top 3 place with second and Wild getting back to 3rd. Race four was certainly the one for the old boys of the fleet with Wild, Lane and Dunedin sailor Peter Graham rounding out the top three. By now, most of the fleet were hurting but only half way through the day. Lane sailed sensibly and consistently to take race 5, George Pilkington in 2nd and Zach Stribbe powered into 3rd on the last beat. The last race saw Lane again sail well to take another gun with Graham in second and Greta storming through into 3rd. To top things off after four breezy races, everyone then got to enjoy the relaxing 40min slog back to the beach – gotta love the southwester!
Overall, consistency was crucial as the score card showed that between the top three overall place getters, there was only one race between them outside of the top 5 over the entire event (when Greta capsized????).
It was great to have a strong fleet represented by so many parts of the country and sets a great scene for the upcoming national champs in January 23.
Phil Wild
Murrays Bay held the long running Stack Winter Champs over the weekend 15/16 October and turned on a wide range of conditions at what will be the venue for the upcoming ILCA 2023 Nationals. The event was run very well with RO, Nick Olson and team dealing with some tricky conditions not to mention a cold snap that really made it feel like it was still winter.
While full rigs weren’t able to compete the radial fleet was strong with an excellent turn out from competitors from all over the country as far north as the Bay of Islands/Taipa and as far South as Dunedin with Queen Charlotte, Tauranga, Napier, Hamilton as well as Auckland all well represented.
Day one was Easterly, lightish and got lighter through the day. Reigning female National Champ, Greta Pilkington, leveraged her recent European experience to be the stand out performer with two wins: gliding past some old hack to take the lead and extend in the first race. Zach Stibbe snuck into second on the line with Phil Wild in 3rd. Race two softened even more and saw a lot of place changes throughout the race – most notably was Greta who worked her way up into the lead with George Lane second and George Pilkington in 3rd. Racing was then abandoned for the day.
Day two was 15-20knots from the SW and garnered a great deal of excitement on shore from those keen to smash the beats and send it on the reaches. Interestingly enough, it was the older hands who had the legs over the course of the day. Race one saw a lot of place changes with initial race leader opting to sail another course, a couple of capsizes here and there and shifts typical of a puffy south wester. Lane showed consistency and was quite happy to watch numerous boats around him mess things up and found himself in the lead with a couple of legs to go. George Pilkington repeated his previous solid top 3 place with second and Wild getting back to 3rd. Race four was certainly the one for the old boys of the fleet with Wild, Lane and Dunedin sailor Peter Graham rounding out the top three. By now, most of the fleet were hurting but only half way through the day. Lane sailed sensibly and consistently to take race 5, George Pilkington in 2nd and Zach Stribbe powered into 3rd on the last beat. The last race saw Lane again sail well to take another gun with Graham in second and Greta storming through into 3rd. To top things off after four breezy races, everyone then got to enjoy the relaxing 40min slog back to the beach – gotta love the southwester!
Overall, consistency was crucial as the score card showed that between the top three overall place getters, there was only one race between them outside of the top 5 over the entire event (when Greta capsized????).
It was great to have a strong fleet represented by so many parts of the country and sets a great scene for the upcoming national champs in January 23.
Phil Wild
Winter Arrives for the Freshwater Champs
As forecast, a fresh, gusty, wet, shifty and COLD breeze greeted the competitors on both days of the Freshwater Champs at Lake Pupuke. This contributed to a smaller than usual fleet, with 23 hardy souls taking to the water over the weekend. In spite of the cold many found the gusty conditions interesting, most adding one or more dips in the lake at some stage for good measure. There was a good youth turnout in the ILCA 6 fleet while the majority of the ILCA 7's were Masters.
There were dominant performances in both the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets.
In the ILCA 6 Caleb Armit, who leave for the World Youth Champs shortly, won 6 out of 7, although in several races the margins at the finish were extremely close. There was a very close battle for second, with ex Olympic Women's rep, now super coach, Sara Winther having a great second day to just get the better of Matthew Rist (Y) from Manly. Third Youth and 4th overall Dylan Forsyth was extremely consistent and right on the heels of the leading bunch, as was second placed Woman, Olivia Christie. Maddie Rist was the leading youth girl, beating Sophia Morgan by a single point. Mike Pascoe was the only ILCA 6 Master to brave the conditions, and was notable for his consistency. I think he capsized in just about every race!
In the ILCA 7's leading U21 sailor Thomas Mulcahy won all but one race, his only hiccup being the result of a quick dip with an unexpected gust on the race 2 final downwind. He clearly had the measure of the Masters fleet in the conditions, with the Masters being led by Nick Page (GGM) in second overall with the consistent Ian Gladwell (GM) and Ken Atchison (M) 3rd and 4th overall. The weekend was completed nicely with legendary commodore John Dowsett's prizegiving speech, plenty of prizes for all and a good Pupuke BBQ to warm everyone up.
Nick Page - 23 May 2022
Caleb Armit
Sara Winther
Thomas Mulcahy
Nick Page
Ken Atchison
Ian Gladwell
Mike Pasco
Challenging but still way better than mowing lawns!
Results
Congratulations to the winners
Final day icing on the cake