29er NZ Nationals 2019

The 2019 29er Nationals completed on Monday 3 June 2019 at Howick Sailing Club with top three as follows:

1st - Campbell Stanton & William Shapland (12 pts)
2nd - Elli Liefting & Jack Frewin (12 pts)
3rd - Brayden Hamilton & Pat Morgan (15 pts)

Female Champions

Sophia Fyfe & Holly Liefting (93 pts)

Thanks to Marc Frewin and the team at Howick Sailing Club for hosting the largest 29er Nationals Fleet anyone can remember at 30 boats. Richard Lane and his race management team managed 9 races in a range of conditions. There was no sailing on the Saturday due to the upper limits of the 29er guidlines being breached with a nasty sea state.

This year was the first year where the 29er Class Association of New Zealand has followed the International 29er Class inititative of presenting a new trophy for the first female team.

The 2019 Nationals also adopted the Tailenders 'W' Flag initiative. The race committee used this to reduce the turn around time between races on the breezy races where the fleet was spread out and the tailenders were in danger of finishing outside the 10 minute window. Once flagged the tail enders could return to the start area to await the next race with an on-water finish result rather than a DNF.

The racing for the Championship was very tight. Three points separated the first three places!

Results

29er NZ Nationals 2014

The 2014 29er Nationals completed on Monday with top three as follows:
1st - Markus Somerville & Isaac McHardie
2nd - Micah Wilkinson & Jack Rogers
3rd - Josh Handa & Tim Adair

Thanks to John Jennings and the team at Murrays Bay SC for getting 12 clean races away despite the challenging conditions of the final day and congratulations to the winnners and all the sailors who put on a fantastic spectacle of top class youth sailing. Great to welcome a team from Australia - Owen & Harry - and hope we see more of you guys over here for Sail Auckland next week and at next year's nationals, again at Murrays Bay SC in Auckland.

For full results http://www.murraysbay.org/murrays-bay-sailing-club/regattas/

Highlights photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40393595@N07/sets/72157640273289095/

29er National Championships 2013

The NZ 29er Nationals 2013 have concluded with a comprehensive victory by Wakatere lads Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson.

Three days of generally windy conditions ensured high drama, lots of spills and non-stop action for the 29er Nationals just off Murrays Bay on Auckland's North Shore from 16-20 January.

This season, the 29er has enjoyed something of a resurgence in NZ thanks to a squad of younger sailors joining the fleet fresh out of Optis (some still sailing them actually) but also in large part due to the generous coaching support of Yachting New Zealand led by Jim Maloney.

Mention and thanks also go to outgoing 29er NZ President Mike Simpson who has done much to revitalise the fleet particularly in Auckland, ably supported by 29er treasurer / secretary stalwart Helen Harris also keeping Dunedin afloat. After completion of registration and measurement, the AGM concluded with Kim Rogers appointed as president, supported by Trudy Shearer as treasurer and John Adair for web / publicity, along with a number of new and existing committee members. Great to see such renewed interest and support to grow this long over-looked class of extreme youth sailing.

Conditions were on the limits of being able to run races with wind strength averaging 24 knots and gusts in the high 20s.

Australian pair George Stent and Benjamin Robinson immediately relished the conditions and used their combined weight and experience in the wind to round the top mark first, closely followed by Tim Adair and Sam Simpson. The Aussies remained at the front to win the first race. Despite the wind strength, conditions were shifty nearer the top mark given the offshore direction and impact of the surrounding cliffs and bays which proved tricky for the fleet throughout the day.

The regatta favourites, local lads from just down the bays at Narrow Neck, Somerville and Simpson hit their straps in the second race and subsequently completed 3 wins to launch them into regatta pole position at the end of day 1. Country boys McHardie and Wilkinson showed form by claiming second place in race 2, hotly contested by the Tauranga-based Rippey brothers. At this stage, some of the fleet were showing signs of succumbing to the adverse wind and seas with some breakages and gear failure occupying support boats during races 2 and 3.

On being quizzed by the approaching rescue boat as to what help was needed, big city boys Webber and Morgan explained that they were sinking and had lost their rudder pin disabling their ability to sail and steer. After a long tow in, it was great to see them fresh-faced and water-tight back on the water on day 2.

The wind had eased overnight averaging around 19 knots offshore but picking up a little as the day wore on. Somerville and Simpson continued their relentless winning streak with the Aussies finding the lighter wind and shifty conditions costly in race 5. The Adair / Simpson duo duked it out with Handa and Rogers for second place, although the former skilfully executed their final downwind gybes to position themselves just ahead of the pair before the finish to take second place, leaving Handa / Rogers in third. Race 6 saw the Rippey brothers move up to the front of the pack and finishing second, closely followed by the Aussie boys. The same top-three combo swapped places for race 7, which was to form a pattern for much of the rest of the regatta.

The Luna Rossa entourage swung by with their awesome AC72 to give the 29er crews a whiff of multi-hull challenges that lie ahead on the wish list for many of our skiff sailors. As quickly as they arrived, so too they disappeared and left the skiffs to enjoy some more close combat.

The day’s final race (8) proved the most riveting finish of the regatta when four boats vied for the top spot all the way to the finish. McHardie and Wilkinson led the race most of the way around the track after a very good first leg and were still in the lead with only 30 metres to the finish line. Inexperience of positioning and timing the final gybe in such extreme conditions left the door open for Somerville and Simpson to take first, and still further indignity with the Aussies squeezing into second place.

Day 3 saw considerably more wind than forecast at times almost approaching that of day 1, coming straight up the bays rather than offshore creating choppy seas and less shifts. Again some of the newer pairs struggled with the conditions although all credit to those who stuck it out despite having very few hours in the boat together. Having had it all their way on day 2, day 3 provided some great competition for the regatta leaders, although their supremacy was never really in question by now barring a catastrophe. Again the Aussies excelled as the wind whipped up, managing a first place in race 10.

McHardie / Wilkinson had a solid, consistent performance on day 3 to ensure their fourth placing. The Rippey boys secured their third place with a convincing win in the final race. With the final NZ Youth Selection event looming in the form of Sail Auckland in a few weeks, we can expect to see plenty more action and drama unfold.

We can also expect to see a great turnout at next year’s nationals when all the pairings will have developed their skills and experience considerably – should be a very hotly contested top spot.

Well done to all the brave crews who competed, thanks to the PRO (Kim Admore) and his team, many thanks to regatta hosts at Murrays Bay Sailing Club and congratulations to the 2013 NZ 29er National winners, Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson.

29er National Championships 2012
The 2012 NZ 29er National Championships were held on Friday 16th, Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th March 2012 at Auckland Sailing Club, Okahu Bay, Auckland. There were 7 entries and all 12 races were completed over the 3 days. The winners were Trent Rippey and Alex Munro who sailed very well having organised themselves a good solid campaign. In second place was Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson who sailed fast but made too many errors and third was Mathew Spray and Tyler Russell who came out of retirement. They all enjoyed the windy conditions. All other competitors showed determination in the difficult conditions. Thank you to the team at Auckland Sailing Club who did a fantastic job running the event.

29er National Championships 2011
The 29er 2011 National Championships were held on Friday 11, Saturday 12, and Sunday 13 March 2011 at Auckland Sailing Club, Okahu Bay, Auckland
This was a great regatta although the Saturday sailing was lost due to the Japanese tsunami but as there was no wind on that day wasn't a problem. The other 2 days produced a good breeze of 10 to 20knts. Nine boats turned up to the starting line and the racing was very close with the eventual winner not being found until the last race.
Results
1st Alex Maloney & Molly Meech
2nd Jack Simpson & Logan Dunning Beck
3rd Matt Spray & Tyler Russell
4th Ashley Lamberg &Sam Mckenzie
5th Felicity Ellis & Henry Wilkinson
6th Stewart Dodson Harry Hull
7th George Brasell& Ryan Dixon
8th Phillipa Wood & Marcelle Hicker
9th Liam Wynne Jones &Ben Wynne Jones

The 2011 29er youth champions were Jack Simpson & Logan Dunning Beck who will now go on to represent New Zealand at the 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds Sailing Championships in Zadar, Croatia in July 2011.

29er National Championships 2010
The 29er 2010 National Championships were held on Friday 26, Saturday 27, and Sunday 28 March 2010 at Auckland Sailing Club, Okahu Bay, Auckland

Twelve 29ers entered the National Championships which were convincingly won by Alex Moloney and Sam Bullock; who will represent New Zealand in the ISF Youth Worlds July 2010 in Turkey.

Winds ranged on Friday from 14-24knots in choppy seas making the 29ers work hard with capsizes on all corners of the windward leeward course.

Saturday had four races in excellent racing conditions 12-19 knots with some spectacular sailing which drew watchers to North Head.

Sunday gave a lighter 4-9knots with variable winds which challenged all the sailors and unfortunately the last race for the 29ers was abandoned.

Results:
9 races, 1 drop

1st Alex Moloney/Sam Bullock Overall and first Youth 10 points
2nd Logan Dunning-Beck/Ben Goodwin 19
3rd Sarah Berry/Mark Overington 26
4th Daniel Meehan/Alex Morris 28
5th Andrew McKenzie/Sam McKenzie 48
6th Mathew Spray/Tyler Russell 49
7th Felicity Ellis/Harry Wilkinson 64
8thBilly Brown/Chris Harris 79
9th Ashleigh Lamberg/Briar Dye Hutchison first all Girl Crew 79
10th Lexie Langley/Michael Langley 79
11th Stewart Dodson/Harry Hull 83
12th James Little/Jordan McKenzie-Brown 102