4 April 2015
The 2015 Toyota New Zealand Optimist National Championships got off to a flawless start with four races in champagne sailing conditions at Wellington’s Worser Bay Boating Club.
Race officer Brett Linton added an extra race to the day’s schedule, as strong winds are forecast for later in the weekend, and he set about executing his plan to perfection.
Racing got underway in an 8-10 knots of wind, but the famous Worser Bay winds reached 20 knots by the start of the fourth race. William Shapland from Auckland’s Kohimarama Yacht Club had the best of day one to lead the fleet on 8 points from four races. Close behind him was local Worser Bay Boating Club sailor Sam Bacon on 10 points.
In the Green Fleet, 12-year-old Emilie Bouchet from Noumea took out the first and only race to lead from Isaac Abbott and Amelia Brodie, both of Torbay Sailing Club.
Regatta Director Belinda Stanley was pleased with how the event was progressing. “We’ve had a small army of volunteers working on this for 12 months and it is great to see all our planning coming to fruition”.
One of the highlights for visitors has been watching the racing from the Toyota café which has been brewing Havana Coffee flat out all day, while parents watch the sailing right in front of the deck.
There are four more days of racing before the 2015 Toyota National Optimist National Champion is decided. Updates are posted to www.optimistnationals.org.nz
Contact: Belinda Stanley, 021 733 379; James Harris 021 686602
Toyota NZ Optimist Nationals 2015 day 1
