Whangarei yachties are hoping for plain sailing for the Starling and P class nationals when they are held here in January, after the dress rehearsal was wrapped up smartly on Sunday.
Organiser Mike Wright said the North Island championships held at Parua Bay over the weekend were a resounding success.
"By 5pm
last night everything was packed away and everyone had left, which left the organisers with a great feeling of satisfaction," he said.
Whangarei's Marcus Hansen finished in third place in the Starling class behind the winner and 420 sailing partner, Aucklander Chris Steele, who won the class.
"We knew Marcus would be up there because he's a top sailor, but we don't see him too much up here now because he does most of his sailing down in Auckland so it was a bonus for the local spectators," Wright said.
Tauranga's Oscar Rorvik headed off the challenge of diminutive Murray's Bay teenager Erica Dawson by two points to win the P Class series.
The racing at the North Island Championships drew a great response from those who competed from as far south as Nelson and Christchurch.
There were nine races for the 56-strong Starling fleet and the same number for the smaller 26-strong P Class fleet over two days. Wright said that for the nationals on January 17-23, organisers intend to push the pace.
"We're going to use a rule from the Laser class that if a boat is over (the line) in the final minute, then it's disqualified from the race ... that means that there will be less general recalls and should allow more time for racing."
The organisers were able to recruit more volunteers over the weekend to help at the nationals and took the opportunity to run through what will happen at the nationals with Yachting New Zealand race management staff.
"We were looking at having two courses for the nationals. But after this weekend, we've decided on a format that will only require one course, and that means we only need half the resources."
