Youth Team Trials 2007,
Worser Bay Boating Club, Wellington
Emma and Sarah Berry
- Youthsail
Out of the the four days scheduled, only two were sailed due to high winds but the race committee programmed extra races on the second day to give a series total of nine. Day One was lost while sailors waited at the cubrooms all day in hope of the wind abating - it appeared to do this at times but online wind measurements were available for all which dispelled any such hopes.
On the second day three races were sailed after a late start, conditions were strong but dropped off during as the afternoon progressed. Snow-Hansen/Tuke and the Berry sisters looked comfortable in the first and windiest race coming first and second. The Saunders made a good recovery after a difficult first race to win race 2 with Goodwin/Coltman coming in second. In the last race of the day the girls took control - Alexandra Davies/Maddy Urry coming first, and Stephanie Hazard/Rachel Basevi 's second putting them at the top of the women's fleet.
The third day of racing was abandoned in the morning as winds averaged between 25 - 30 knots.
On the fourth day a change in sailing instructions allowed the race committee to increase the number of races to six to take advantage of reasonable conditions in Wellington's notoriously windy harbour. It was a long day for sailors, suppporters and race management - the sun had disappeared over the Worser Bay hills long before the sailors made for shore.
Of alll the classes qualifying for the NZ Youth team, the 420's was the most intense and closely fought. Selection is based on results of both the classes national championship and the Youth trials - with the trials being given precedance in the case of a tie on points. By the end of the day Emma and Sarah Berry's were placed 3rd overall with an 11 point lead over contenders Stephanie Hazard / Rachel Basevi and 19 points over Susannah Pyatt/Danielle Bowater. This result put Emma and Sarah in first place for the women's crew and won them selection for the 2007 Youth team for a second year.
Having come frist and second in the Nationals, for Saunders brothers and Snow-Hansen/Tuke this regatta was about match racing to gain selection for the youth team - with only one drop coming in and the Saunders having a 14th in the first race of the series it was all on. In the meantime Ben Goodwin and Tim Coltman were quietly sailing a consistent series which brought them out on top - this combined with their fifth place in the Nationals put them second in the overall selection. Snow-Hansen and Tuke had their selection fairly safe at the end of the penultimate race, only to be over the line in the last race....... however after returning they recovered sufficiently to keep their position and win top double handed open selection.
Full results on Regattas & Results page
Youthsail Regatta
winners of the Open Class - Ben Goodwin and Tim Coltman
Youthsail Regatta winners Women's Class - Emma and Sarah
Berry
NZL Yachting Trust
Youth Team double handed selections - click here for
VOLVO
YOUTH WORLDS
July 12 - 21:
1st Open - Paul Snow-Hansen and Blair Tuke, sailing 29er
1st Women - Emma and Sarah Berry, sailing 29er
2nd Open - Ben Goodwin and Tim Coltman, sailing Hobie
Cat