Finn Pye, 11, from Kerikeri will be one of the youngest on the water when he takes part in the AIMS Games in Tauranga next month. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media
Finn Pye, 11, from Kerikeri will be one of the youngest on the water when he takes part in the AIMS Games in Tauranga next month. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media
He may be a pint-sized trail-blazer but Finn Pye has some heavyweight backing as he prepares to usher in a new era of Anchor AIMS Games sailing.
The Kerikeri 11-year-old is one of 34 sailors entering the all-new Bic (open skiff) class at the annual intermediate-aged tournament in Tauranga nextmonth, joining the already-established Optimist class which first sailed at the Games in 2015.
Although he'll be one of the youngest on the water, Finn already has decent pedigree. His father Geoff is the President of the New Zealand Open Skiff Association, America's Cup great Russell Coutts has been a passionate supporter of the class, while Finn's older brother Jake won the world championships last year.
All up, it makes for some intensive and thoroughly enjoyable training sessions on the breezy reaches of the Kerikeri Inlet.
"It's pretty peaceful up here and most times it's just me and my brother out, so he can teach me lots of stuff about sailing," Finn explained. "He's a really good sailor and he coaches me a lot - I'm getting better each day."
A little brotherly rivalry can go a long way to motivate young Finn as he saw his older brother Jake (right) win a world title. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media
"It was pretty embarrassing and annoying when Jake won the open skiff worlds... but otherwise awesome!"
Jake's world Open BIC title saw him head off good friend and close rival Mattias Coutts - son of Russell - in the waters of Spain last year. Just four weeks later, he was back home, heading to his second AIMS Games with his Kerikeri High School futsal team.
Getting the tricks of the trade from the famous Russell Coutts must be having a good effect on the young sailor from Kerikeri. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media
Geoff Pye doesn't mind the hectic schedule, however, having seen first-hand just how beneficial sailing has been for his boys.
"My wife Andrea and I both love sailing and that makes things a lot easier to then follow the kids around the country," he said. "And they get so much out of it, meeting other kids and getting confidence on the water. You see the smiles on their faces as they come back in and it's wonderful."
Geoff has also been sailing as long as he can remember, with his own father starting him out in Auckland and then progressing from Sabot dinghies to keelers to offshore racing.
He's back where he started, however, loving the accessibility of the open skiff class, as well as the speed of learning.
"If you don't sail the boat properly, you end upside down pretty quickly so the kids learn quite rapidly. But I've also seen a lot of kids overcome their fears of capsizing because the boats don't fill up with water and tipping over just becomes part of the fun," Geoff said.
"We really try to push that fun aspect and the camaraderie between the kids, while we're also coaching on the water during racing, rather than just sending them out and talking about it afterwards. That's where Russell has been amazingly supportive, giving his time and his energy, and teaching other people how to teach."
Finn, who will be one of 34 sailors entering the all-new Bic (open skiff) class, has been receiving quality instruction from his father Geoff (right). Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media
In all, a record 90 Bic and Optimist sailors will take to the Tauranga Harbour waters, joining more than 11,400 other athletes at the massive week-long tournament from September 8-13.
The Bic division is one of several new codes this year, joining 3x3 basketball, mountain biking, QuickRip rugby and canoe sprinting.
