Tue, Jan 12, 2021 3:30 PM

Waikawa sailors dominate podium

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Peter Jones

Waikawa Boating Club sailors kept the visiting boats at bay in the Giesen New Year regatta - prevailing across all four divisions.

In their first major regatta since returning to Level 1 restrictions, the Waikawa club staged a highly-successful event at the weekend.

D’Edge putting it all on the line to take out Division 2.

Despite the challenge mounted by visiting sailors, who have traditionally seized a good share of the spoils, the Waikawa crews utilised their local knowledge to pull off a clean sweep, albeit by the narrowest of margins in some cases.

Day one began slowly, the crews enduring a long wait under grey skies before the race management team got two races away in light and shifty conditions. The day ended with the lighter boats sitting atop the leader board.

Sunday dawned sunny and full of promise. After another late start, a northerly breeze filled in across the course enabling the organisers to get through a challenging programme of three races for divisions 1 and 2 and two races for divisions 4 and 5.

Division 1 saw David Grigg’s Beneteau Global take the contest with 6 points, one point clear of the Sam Edwards skippered Farr 30 Loco with Matt Kerr’s Ross 40 Satellite Spy third on 9. Satellite Spy collected the line honours prize for the regatta, winning three of the five races.

An interesting sight in the division was the DIAM 24 racing trimaran Onco Fonco sailed by former Waikawa skipper Meric Davies. Sluggish in the light airs on day one, the multihull came into its own on day two, displaying a great turn of speed.

Division 2 was dominated by Laurie McIntyre’s Young 780 D’Edge, their score of 6 points well clear of four boats tied on 14. After countbacks were completed, the James Snowdon-skippered Warwick Stratus 747 Saucy Sausage took second with long-time regatta supporter Clin Lock bringing his Young 88 Legacy 2 home third.

Division 4 saw the regatta administration once more into countback territory with the final outcome favouring local skipper Dave Kelway, his Beneteau First 456 Khamsin performing well across the entire regatta, especially in the light conditions on day one when many expected the big yacht to struggle. Second place went to Chris Hitchings who handled his Young 11 Simply Irresistible brilliantly, while Waikawa club patron Nicky Jenkins had a slow start on day one but came home strongly with two wins for third overall in her newly-acquired Hanse 345 Tiamana.

Division 5 went to Tom van der Burg, his Lotus 9.5 Satu scoring a perfect three wins after dropping their worst performance (a second). Bryce Ecklein helmed his Young 88 Fade to Black to second in the regatta, one point clear of Tim Armstrong’s Davidson 35 Satin Sheets in third.

Regatta spokesman Duncan Mackenzie was encouraged by the large number of new boats attracted this year.

Despite several last-minute defections from the fleet due to mechanical issues the regatta still attracted more boats than the 2020 event, with a third of the fleet coming from out of the region.

With the development of new marina berths by Marlborough Sounds Marinas at Waikawa well underway Mackenzie says he is confident this will deliver even more competitors to the fleet in 2022.

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