Sanders Cup now East Coast Cup

Father and son Colin and Ross Shanks took out the Sanders Cup as interprovincial New Zealand champions in Javelin Class yachts on Lake Rotoiti last weekend, and also won the Kingham Trophy. Picture supplied

Gisborne Yacht Club son-and-father sailing team of Ross and Colin Shanks, representing the East Coast, have uplifted one of New Zealand’s oldest sailing trophies after a close-fought contest on Lake Rotoiti.

The Sanders Cup was in its 99th year of competition last weekend.

“This was the first time in that long history the contest had a three-way tie for first place,” Gisborne Yacht Club spokesman Peter Millar said.

“The winners were only decided after two countbacks, as the Rules of Sailing allow.”

The trophy is awarded to the interprovincial New Zealand champion team in Javelin Class yachts, and six of the best were there representing their provinces.

“The Gisborne team had only one practice sail last weekend, the first in almost a year,” Millar said.

“They also won the Kingham Trophy.

“Father and son have won both trophies as a team twice previously, the last time back in 2007/08.”

Conditions were perfect last Saturday with four races sailed, then the fleet enjoyed the Kingham Trophy race.

Designed to be a distance/harbour-style race, the course started and finished off Lake Rotoiti’s Gisborne Point and the race committee used Pateko Island as a rounding mark of the course.

“This race, too, was won by Team Shanks on Riders on the Storm, making prizegiving a bit one-sided as they also brought home the Nathan Baxx Memorial Trophy as overall winners of the Rotoiti Javelin Regatta,” Millar said.

After the four races on Day 1, the three top teams were on equal points.

“Day 2 was the nightmare for the race committee, with rapidly changing wind directions of little strength. The penultimate race started a mere minute before the time limit cut-off.

“This was the race that sealed the victory because as winners it gave Team Shanks three first placings that on countback outscored the other tied teams,” Millar said.

In second place were David Brown and David Feek, representing Manawatū, and in third place were veteran Craig Gilbert and Rob Fordyce, sailing for Northland.

Fourth were a Bay of Plenty all-female team, Antje Muller and Fi Charman.

“The winning team get to choose the club location to defend it and plans are already starting for the 100th defence to be contested in the waters of Tairāwhiti off Gisborne Yacht Club around Anzac weekend, 2024,” Millar said.

The timing would be fitting as the Sanders Cup was created in memory of Lieutenant Commander William Sanders, from Takapuna, Millar said.

“He served in World War 1 with the Royal Naval Reserve and was a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross. He was the only New Zealander to receive the Victoria Cross for naval action.

“The victory for Colin and Ross, along with Lucy Millar’s win in the open skiff female title, gives Gisborne Yacht Club essentially two New Zealand champions in the same year.

“For a small regional club on a national stage that is a ratio that would be hard to better.”

Lucy Millar is entered in the National Europe Class Nationals after a third-equal placing in the recent North Island championships.

In a few weeks, Jake and Peter Millar will contest the ILCA 6 and 7 North Island champs.