Teams Talk - Ross Sutherland |
Hi All,
Welcome to another year of Teams sailing around the country.
TEAM Worlds
Our three teams have just returned from the worlds in Perth with Bronze in the open fleet and Silver in the under 21s, we always new it was going to be hard sailing in Pacers and although a tactical decision by the Aussie's to sail in a boat only they have, top prize still went to the Americans showing how far ahead they are in teams racing as it was most of the same team that one the last two.
NZTRA has purchased another Pacer which is on its way here thanks to "THE MILL LIQUOR SAVE ".
Next years interdoms are in PACERS in Australia for our top three nationals teams so we want to be able to carry on from our 1,2,3 placings last year in October for Tauranga Boys, Mahurangi and Macleans for any that missed it (All three teams have lost two skippers just to let the hopefuls know).
Next worlds will be in Ireland in 2011 so we will look at stageing an Asia pacific event next year to keep our teams up to standard.
New Rules have come out and both Ross May and John Rountree were Umpiring at the worlds and Derry was there as our NZTRA Rep and country Coach. The new rules have slightly delayed the NOR for the nationals, but that is being address now and should be posted asap.
Nationals 09
The 2009 Nationals are starting with Briefing on the 19th of April at Naval Point Yacht club and finishing with the finals and prizegiving diner on the 24th giving two days of school holidays to return home.Theres lots of deals with the airlines for those organised enough to take advantage early in the game and I have copied Jo Hern's email above who has spoken to some of the hostels and this year's club contact for accomodation.
I will also go back to Interislander for a deal like we got last time, where if you paid normal fare for the Team van, all passengers traveled free.
The format at this stage will be similar to New Plymouth with twenty four boats ,two seeded fleet draws, followed by gold and silver fleets, but with extra umpires to keep the speed up if we get the numbers.
Regional Round Up Calendar.
Following on from December's successful training camp at Taupo, there will be another training regatta on the 28th Feb/ 1st March weekend at Taupo, as this is central and we have the six Waikato boats there. This is open to the Napier, New Plymouth, Taupo and Waikato teams.
Tauranga have had programs going in both their 420s and Toppas and Roy is setting a date for a regional regatta, but teams north of Taupo are also welcome to the Upper North Islands regatta at Algies Bay on the 2nd to 4th of April.
March 22nd to 24th.
The first of the regionals champs is at Picton, where Nelson and Marlborough fight it out for the "Top of the South " trophy, as well as top team amongst the expected 8 teams who I hear have been sailing right through December/January. This event rotates from Nelson to Picton each year and there is also a competition between who can put on the best prizegiving dinner. Marlborough won the sailing and Nelson the Dinner so far. (Derry and I are regular judges). Mainland teams are looking for one of those top three spots at the nationals. look out jaffas !!
March 28th to 31st
Lake Aviemore is the designated battleground for the very impressive LUND /CONROY TROPHY for the lower South Island teams. We have two Timaru teams, along with Wanaka, Christchurch maybe ? and a Dunedin University team, who also help coach and set the standards to be bettered. This event is also partly sponsored by (TREBLE CONE SKIFIELD) as they know the best sailors are also the best skiers.
This region along with the Wellington and Upper north islands are taking advantage of schools tournament week to raise the profile of school teams sailing, by sailing a team sport in school time on the week designated for it. Long been a request of teachers, but all three events also include weekends to get parent support and long weekends. Yeah.
Wellingtons lower North Island event is into its third year and with over ten teams. It has three days from 28th to 30th and once again offering enough good sailing for teams not yet prepared for travelling to the Nationals. Evans Bay are once again holding that and all enquiries to them.
April 2nd to 4th
The Upper North Islands are this year at Algies Bay to get a little closer to the Auckland schools and half way between two of the top teams at Kerikeri and Tauranga. Room for two fleets and no tide will give lots of racing as most schools up there have their own boats and even two teams so this gives those that miss out on the Nationals an away event with the school team.
Its hoped with four school team bases in Auckland now, more inter-school leagues may occur, taking the pressure off trying to get events away in limited time and sometimes light wind and tidal conditions of the Tamaki River and Orakei.
There still some work to do organising University teams and I hope Victoria can attend the Wellington event again and we will be looking for an event to compete against the Australian universities, so the regionals are good training for uni sailors not coaching or umpiring.
June
Open Nationals are once again at Queens birthday weekend and more info on that later.
July
The South Pacific Development Regatta is on again in the July holidays and I will be in contact with all regions for their prospective candidates. This event was only just won by the Cook Islands again last year after that good practice they had in the Nationals Silver fleet finals, but the South Island Girls took out the Girls trophy along with lots of sunshine and sunburn, while the rest of NZ drowned in the July rain. We do sail Sunbursts up there, which is becoming a problem for the kiwi crews as they adjust.
The Victorian team from Australia is coming early this year to train early in the ex-Kiwi fleet of boats we now have up there.
Sept/Oct
We have a new Sponsor for the first ever open girls regatta ( KORU POSSUMSILK KNITWEAR ) which will run in place of the interdoms at the Mahu Spring regatta at Algies in October.More info on this later too.
Regards All
Ross S