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Olivia’s Team Racing Invitational Notice of Race

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olivia ssa

Olivia Constants lost her life in a tragic sailing accident three years ago here in Annapolis, at the age of 14. As painful as that day was for her family, friends, and the entire sailing community, Olivia’s larger than life personality lives on today. Olivia was an amazing young woman on many levels and was passionate about many things, especially her love of life and her love of her friends. She valued her relationships above all else. Oh, and how she enjoyed having fun in everything she did. So in the spirit of Olivia, Severn Sailing Association along with the Olivia Constants Foundation and other Annapolis based sailing organizations are hosting the second annual Olivia’s Team Racing Invitational Regatta.  The primary goal of the regatta is to bring friends, new & old, together to have fun and to have fun racing as teams, done the way Olivia would run a regatta. Our inaugural event last year drew 54 teams!
Unlike other team racing regattas, Olivia’s regatta requires only that you bring a skipper and crew, no boats!  Teams will be formed over the course of the two days, which will allow each skipper/crew pair to sail with many other pairs over the course of the regatta.  Through this you will get to meet some new friends and learn new skills. Boats will be provided at the event, using the SSA, AYC and USNA 420’s depending on the turnout.  The regatta is open to all, regardless of age, skill and club affiliation.
To aid us “more mature” sailors who have not done as much team racing as some of the younger sailors, there will be a team racing clinic led by Ian Burman and Cole Allsopp the Friday evening preceding the regatta.
Olivia liked to have fun ashore as well, so the regatta will have on-going entertainment throughout the event.  Beginning about 3pm on Saturday live bands will be playing at the club with food and beverages available.  Regatta entrants will be provided beverages and light fare and all will be available to other attendees for purchase.  There will be something to keep you occupied as you rotate boats!  Invite your family or other friends to come down to listen to the bands and hang out, as there is no charge for that at all. And there will be the opportunity to support the Olivia Constants Foundation as well!
Everyone is welcome; this will be a true Olivia event, all ages, of all skill levels, everyone having fun! The racing will be fun and competitive, but most importantly it is about enjoying life, sailing and friends.
The notice of race and registration details can be found both on the Severn Sailing Association web site at www.severnsailing.org and directly at http://ssa.sailregattas.com/_/ssa/ui/Index.aspx?tabid=773
Notice of Race
The racing is open to all sailors. We plan on a FUN weekend of exciting racing and the opportunity to support the Olivia Constants Foundation. We will have shore side activities, music, and food and beverages available throughout the weekend.
1. Rules: The races will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing 2013-2016, including Appendix D, team racing. USCG approved PFDs shall be worn while on the water.
2. Boats: 420’s will be provided to all competitors
3. Eligibility and Entry: Eligibility is open to any two person team, whether an adult or a junior or a combination thereof. Entry fee is $70.00. A damage deposit of  $350.00 is required at registration.
4. Format:
Saturday, Aug 23th     Two vs. Two Team racing with random pairing
Sunday, Aug 24th       Three vs. Three with reverse seeding
Final Four
5. Schedule:
Friday, August 22rd                 1700 -2000     Team racing clinic
Saturday, August 23th  0800              Registration
0930               Skippers meeting
1000               Warning Signal 1st Race
Following racing: hors d’oeuvres, soda & beer
Sunday, August 24th     1000              Warning Signal 1st Race
1500               Last start of 3 vs. 3
1530               Start of Final Four
Following racing: soda, beer & awards
6. Venue: Racing will be held off of SSA in the mouth of the Severn River.
7. Contact:  Steve Constants @ 443-949-0472, [email protected]. More information can be found at www.severnsailing.org
8. Registration: http://ssa.sailregattas.com/_/ssa/ui/Index.aspx?tabid=773

2014 J/70 North American Championship FINAL Report & Results

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Team Helly Hansen survived light and shifty conditions on the final day to win the 2014 J/70 North American Championship hosted by the Rochester Yacht Club. Our 10th in the final race of the regatta was enough to earn us the victory. Every boat in the event would likely agree that the racing was very challenging because the talent level was so high and the conditions made the racing extra tough.
Staying out of trouble was one of our major goals before the event began. From the beginning we knew that keeping our tactical options open early in each race would be a key to success. Today, like every race during the event, we wanted to get a start that put us in a position to control our options as much as possible. To do this, we decided to start near the mid-line committee boat and after the start we were able to continue on starboard tack until we decided to tack. Much of the fleet decided to start on the right hand starting line, so our start and early starboard tack found us to the left side of the majority of the fleet. After about 3 minutes, we saw an increase in pressure developing to the right side of the course and we tacked away from our group on the left to get connected with the new pressure.
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Sailing across the middle of the course was tough as we watched more than 20 boats sail across our bow in the new breeze from the right. Fortunately we abandoned our left side position in time to just get to the new wind and stay in touch with the front of the fleet. The regatta leader was with us on the left side before our tack toward the right, but they were not able to escape the left and get across the course before the wind dropped and filled from the the right side.
At the first mark, we rounded about 25th and the regatta leader was well back in the fleet. To add drama, the third place team, only trailing us by 16 points overall, rounded the first mark in 3rd. For the remaining 3 legs we were able to find good lanes and move up through the fleet to 10th place at the finish and the overall lead.
Our conservative approach on the starting line and applying tactics that gave us the most options, kept us near the front in every race. That strategy isn’t flashy, but in a large fleet with no drop races, it allowed us the opportunity to be near the front in every race. Consistency will win in the long term, even if it doesn’t seem exciting as winning individual races.
Day 2 Report: https://www.sail1design.com/2014-j70-north-american-championship-day-2-report/
Day 1 Report: https://www.sail1design.com/2014-j70-north-american-championship-day-1-report/
1 Tim Healy USA 58 43.00 3 3 6 9 12 10
2 Ian Atkins GBR 76 50.00 6 20 3 13 7 1
3 Brian Keane USA 36 57.00 5 6 2 4 5 35
4 Mauricio Santa Cruz BRA 66 67.00 4 16 1 29% 10 7
5 Allan Terhune USA 69 68.00 10 13 4 27 3 11
6 Martin Kullman USA 42 71.00 21 15 21 8 2 4
7 john brim USA 03 73.00 24 9 9 17 11 3
8 Kris Werner / F. Wehrheim USA 23 76.00 20 7 22 5 9 13
9 Joel ronning USA 52 77.00 29 2 8 28 1 9
10 Bennet Greenwald USA 54 100.00 16 22 5 1 13 43
11 Martin Johnsson USA 61 C 103.00 17 14 27 2 37 6
12 Kerry Klingler USA 30 106.00 11 4 23 22 22 24
13 Adam Burns USA 05 C 107.00 15 8 28 21 19 16
14 Brian Elliott USA 20 C 109.00 7 1 19 25 26 31
15 Jud Smith USA 48 109.00 8 18 16 3 8 56
16 Todd Hiller USA 49 C 111.00 41 28 10 6 24 2
17 Peter Vessella USA 07 128.00 19 19 13 26 29 22
18 Thomas Bowen USA 11 132.00 34 30 11 18 27 12
19 Marco Teixidor PUR 56 C 133.00 2 21 29% 11 23 47%
20 Will Welles USA 50 143.00 37 11 18 19 4 54
21 Gregg Mylett USA 55 C 148.00 18 45 33 20 17 15
22 Jenn Ray Wulff USA 22 C 152.00 1 23 29 12 25 62
23 James Barnash USA 82 166.00 12 12 32 14 52 44%
24 Henry Filter USA 26 C 167.00 23 37 12 7 31 57
25 Tim Finkle USA 02 C 169.00 51 29 17 10 39 23
26 Jim Cunningham USA 06 C 175.00 32 27 26 32 16 42
27 Mikael Lindqvist SWE 78 178.00 9 5 39 33 42 50%
28 Stanley Edwards USA 79 179.00 13 34 45 29 30 28
29 Mark Ploch USA 44 185.00 50 32 7 35 21 40%
30 David Koski USA 64 199.00 36 47 20 16 15 65
31 Jeff_John_Ed_Go Sullivan USA 75 201.00 46 10 40 46 6 53
32 Richard Nesbett USA 12 203.00 28 44 34 55 28 14
33 Ron Thompson USA 24 C 205.00 52 46 43 41 18 5
34 Neil Sullivan USA 73 215.00 31 41 37 24 38 44
35 Heather Gregg Earl USA 14 C 217.00 25 43 25 23 50% 51
36 Chuck Millican BER 33 C 220.00 33 31 14 47 48 47
37 Bruno Pasquinelli USA 21 223.00 38 25 72q 39 20 29
38 tyler doyle USA 31 225.00 27 56 30 31 14 67
39 Catharine Evans USA 15 230.00 14 38 47 36 32 63
40 Frank McNamara USA 41 C 234.00 47 50 36 34 33 34%
41 Dave Franzel USA 65 243.00 53 39 31 67% 34 19
42 John DiMatteo USA 18 C 255.00 39 54 55 44 55 8
43 Paul Cannon USA 04 C 256.00 30 49 49 72q 35 21
44 Stu McCrea CAN 29 C 267.00 22 17 52 72% 64 40
45 Scott Weakley CAN 37 C 268.00 68 26 41 51 57 25
46 Daan Goedkoop USA 09 C 273.00 40 35 24 30 72% 72c
47 Collin Kirby USA 74 C 280.00 43 24 50 58 43 62%
48 Killian Corbishley USA 46 C 283.00 54 55 51 38 47 38
49 Ian Mayers CAN 51 283.00 49 42 38 50 46 58
50 andrew fisher USA 77 285.00 44 48 66 59% 50 18
51 Jonathan Pollak USA 43 C 293.00 45 66 57 40 51 34
52 Kathy Parks USA 35 C 295.00 65 33 44 57 69 2753 Tim Gibbs USA 45 C 296.00 61 53 42 42 49 49
54 R. Latane Montague USA 83 C 301.00 58 63 48 37 58% 37
55 Brandon Flack USA 13 C 303.00 26 66% 46 69 41 55
56 Rich Bergmann USA 70 C 303.00 35 67 61 48 60 32
57 William Markel USA 39 306.00 63 36 35 59 63 50
58 peter Firey USA 16 C 306.00 42 64 56 43 62 39
59 Neil Ford USA 72 C 308.00 56 40 54 54 40 64
60 Anthony Byrne USA 28 C 330.00 48 57 58 52 54 61
61 Edward Backman CAN 60 C 332.00 55 61 62 60 53 41
62 Holly Graf 84 351.00 64 71 69 72q 58 17
63 Kenneth Smith USA 47 C 351.00 62 58 53 61 71 46
64 David Dombroski USA 27 C 351.00 60 62 64 49 56 60
65 Davis King USA 80 370.00 59 51 60 64 70 66
66 Kristen Robinson USA 19 C 379.00 70 68 67 63 66 45
67 Martin McKenna USA 01 C 384.00 71 59 65 72% 45 72%
68 J.B. Walsh USA 57 C 384.00 57 72% 59 56 68 72c
69 timothy Weibel USA 08 388.00 66 70 63 62 59 68
70 Mark Wagner USA 38 C 405.00 69 65 68 66 65 72c
71 Jim Hermetet USA 63 C 410.00 67 72% 70 68 67 66%

2014 J/70 North American Championship Day 2 Report

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By Geoff Becker
 
Day 2
2 races (all course 4, 4 legs and downwind finish) Wind 6-10 knots from the Northeast
Day two began with a shore postponement before a light northeast sea breeze filled in and Races 4 and 5 were completed. We again tried to be more conservative on the starting line and during the race knowing that there were no drop races for this event. Our finishes were 9-12 today which dropped us to second overall due to the very consistent sailing of Brian Keane and his team aboard Savasana.
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Today’s lighter winds put a premium on boatspeed and making smooth maneuvers out on the course. This also meant that mark roundings were critical points in the race where distance could easily be made up or lost. In particular, the leeward mark gates today were very crowded and the lighter winds also meant that the wind shadows from the boats, still approaching the gate, made exiting the gate marks that much more challenging.
We had one good gate mark rounding today and one we would like back. The difference in the two roundings was the exit from the gate mark to the upwind leg. During the bad rounding, we followed a small pack of boats around the mark and in the other, we were able to round more cleanly without the effects of other boats. Rounding a leeward mark close behind other boats is hard enough, but when you add the bad air of 20+ approaching spinnakers, it can be very difficult to sail at full speed during the first minute or two of the upwind leg.
Of course it is important to choose the best gate mark to round based on the side of the course you prefer for the upwind leg, or even the gate mark that might be more upwind. The best gate mark choice can often be the mark that allows you the cleanest rounding with the best escape into clear air and can make a difference of handfuls of positions at the finish.
lll
Our takeaways from Day 2 are…
1. Maneuvers and mark roundings are key in light winds.
2. Take the time to choose the best gate mark to round 3. Often the fastest exit from the gate is better than the favored mark
 
 
 
 
Day 2 Overall Results:
1 Brian Keane USA 36 22.00 5 6 2 4 5
2 Tim Healy USA 58 33.00 3 3 6 9 12
3 Ian Atkins GB 76 49.00 6 20 3 13 7
4 Jud Smith USA 48 53.00 8 18 16 3 8
5 Bennet Greenwald USA 54 57.00 16 22 5 1 13
6 Allan Terhune USA 69 57.00 10 13 4 27 3
7 Mauricio Santa Cruz BR 66 60.00 4 16 1 29% 10
8 Kris Werner / F. Wehrheim USA 23 63.00 20 7 22 5 9
9 Martin Kullman USA 42 67.00 21 15 21 8 2
10 Joel ronning USA 52 68.00 29 2 8 28 1
11 john brim USA 03 70.00 24 9 9 17 11
12 Brian Elliott USA 20 C 78.00 7 1 19 25 26
13 Kerry Klingler USA 30 82.00 11 4 23 22 22
14 Marco Teixidor PUR 56 C 86.00 2 21 29% 11 23
15 Will Welles USA 50 89.00 37 11 18 19 4
16 Jenn Ray Wulff USA 22 C 90.00 1 23 29 12 25
17 Adam Burns USA 05 C 91.00 15 8 28 21 19
18 Martin Johnsson USA 61 C 97.00 17 14 27 2 37
19 Peter Vessella USA 07 106.00 19 19 13 26 29
20 Todd Hiller USA 49 C 109.00 41 28 10 6 24
21 Henry Filter USA 26 C 110.00 23 37 12 7 31
22 Thomas Bowen USA 11 120.00 34 30 11 18 27
23 James Barnash USA 82 122.00 12 12 32 14 52
24 Mikael Lindqvist SW 78 128.00 9 5 39 33 42
25 Jim Cunningham USA 06 C 133.00 32 27 26 32 16
26 Gregg Mylett USA 55 C 133.00 18 45 33 20 17
27 David Koski USA 64 134.00 36 47 20 16 15
28 Mark Ploch USA 44 145.00 50 32 7 35 21
29 Tim Finkle USA 02 C 146.00 51 29 17 10 39
30 Jeff_John_Ed_Go Sullivan USA 75 148.00 46 10 40 46 6
31 Stanley Edwards USA 79 151.00 13 34 45 29 30
32 tyler doyle USA 31 158.00 27 56 30 31 14
33 Heather Gregg Earl USA 14 C 166.00 25 43 25 23 50%
34 Catharine Evans USA 15 167.00 14 38 47 36 32
35 Neil Sullivan USA 73 171.00 31 41 37 24 38
36 Chuck Millican BER 33 C 173.00 33 31 14 47 48
37 Richard Nesbett USA 12 189.00 28 44 34 55 28
38 Bruno Pasquinelli USA 21 194.00 38 25 72q 39 20
39 Ron Thompson USA 24 C 200.00 52 46 43 41 18
40 Frank McNamara USA 41 C 200.00 47 50 36 34 33
41 Daan Goedkoop USA 09 C 201.00 40 35 24 30 72%
42 Collin Kirby USA 74 C 218.00 43 24 50 58 43
43 Dave Franzel USA 65 224.00 53 39 31 67% 34
44 Ian Mayers CA 51 225.00 49 42 38 50 46
45 Stu McCrea CA 29 C 227.00 22 17 52 72% 64
46 Paul Cannon USA 04 C 235.00 30 49 49 72q 35
47 Scott Weakley CA 37 C 243.00 68 26 41 51 57
48 Neil Ford USA 72 C 244.00 56 40 54 54 40
49 Killian Corbishley USA 46 C 245.00 54 55 51 38 47
50 John DiMatteo USA 18 C 247.00 39 54 55 44 55
51 Tim Gibbs USA 45 C 247.00 61 53 42 42 49
52 Brandon Flack USA 13 C 248.00 26 66% 46 69 41

Club 420 Nationals Report & Results

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Tight Race to First for C420 Nationals
By Katelyn Montero
San Diego, CA (July 18, 2014) “For the last day of a national championship, it can’t get much better than the tight racing we’ve had going into today and certainly into the last race, John Vandemoer, Executive Director of the Club 420 Class Association said as he watched the competitors gear up for the tenth and final race of the regatta. With one more race left in the regatta, only four points separated the top three teams, and in the words of Vandemoer, it was anyone’s game. Ultimately, it was locals Scott Sinks and Rebecca McElvain from San Diego Yacht Club who were able to nab the title of national champions. In the final race, their third place finish in the final race gave them a score of 43 and secured their overall win of the regatta.
Barely trailing behind them, Max and Ian Brill finished second with a score of 45, separated from the third place team of Romain Screve and Jackson Ritter by only one point. With scores as close as these and the drama of an exciting finale, it’s tough to believe that the regatta had originally gotten off to such a slow start.
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The first race took place on Tuesday, July 16, but it wasn’t until two general recalls that the actual racing began. Light winds and poor sailing conditions made for long races and difficult starts. Originally hoping to hold four races each day, PRO Jeff Johnson and the rest of the Race Committee was only able to get in two races for the day. Cassie Obel and Annika Garrett took the early lead as the day one winners, but were unable to keep their fast finishes up throughout the rest of the regatta and ultimately finished in 6th place.
The second day of racing took place in quintessential San Diego conditions, with sunny skies, 75 degrees and 8-12 KTS. The racing was fierce and the day was long with a total of five races taking place on Wednesday alone. By the sixth race of the regatta, competitors were qualified to drop their lowest score. It was the third place overall team Screve and Ritter from San Francisco Yacht Club who won the second day of racing, and the stage was set for a close fight to the finish on the third and final day.
Conditions on Thursday were primed for a great final day, and the regatta was able to get in three races for the day with about 10-12 KTS and clear skies. Sinks and McElvain finished the last race of the day in third place, giving them the win for the regatta. Crew McElvain is no stranger to national championships, having won on the Point Loma team at the high school level. “It feels pretty good,” McElvain said of her new first place championship. “I’m just happy to be able to win with my skipper.” The skipper, Scott Sinks, is also SDYC Commodore’s son, and was happy to be able to win the regatta on home waters.
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The 2014 Nationals was not just an exciting regatta to watch, but also one for the history books. With the largest registration for the C420 class on the West Coast, Class Director Vandemoer is hopeful that the class will continue to grow.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Final, full results can be seen here:  http://www.club420.org/results/14UL420%20Nationals%202014%20results.pdf

2014 J/70 North American Championship Day 1 Report

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By Airwaves writer Geoff Becker
Team Helly Hansen, Skipper: Tim Healy, Tactician/Trimmer: Geoff Becker, Tactician/Trimmer: John Mollicone, Bow: Gordon Borges
Day 1
3 races (all course 4, 4 legs and downwind finish), Wind 8-14 knots from the Northwest, with a fairly steady direction.
Day one of the 2014 J/70 North American Championship saw 71 boats make it to the starting line for three races in winds much better than forecast. With the large fleet and long starting line our plan was to stay safe and leave ourselves options in the first part of each race. We were fortunate to get three good starts and finish the day with a 3-3-6, earning Team Helly Hansen the early lead after Day 1. (Scroll down for full results)
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The course today saw a fairly steady wind direction as far as the headings were concerned, but it was clear that the boats getting more to the left side upwind were coming out better on almost every beat. After the first race and into the second race it became increasingly difficult to get to the left side since more and more boats were trying hard to get that way. In the third race, our start was not as strong as the other two and we had to tack toward the middle before getting all the way to the left, which gave boats to our left more of the course advantage.
Being a little behind early in the final race made us look for other ways to gain upwind, since we couldn’t always get as much left as we would have liked. We noticed that many of the other boats wanted the left side so badly, they were basically sailing outside the course to get there and overstanding the layline in the process. This gave us the opportunity to tack short of the boats on the left side and lead them back to the windward mark as they sailed extra distance. So, even if one side is favored, it is a good idea to pay attention and save distance when you can’t get to the favored side.
Our takeaways from Day 1 are…
1. Try to stay safe on big starting lines.
2. Know which side is favored, but also know where you are on the course.
3. Saving distance can make gains against boats on the favored side.
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Results after Day 1
Overall Group 1
1 Tim Healy USA 58 12.00 3 3 6
2 Brian Keane USA 36 13.00 5 6 2
3 Mauricio Santa Cruz BR 66 21.00 4 16 1
4 Brian Elliott USA 20 27.00 7 1 19
5 Allan Terhune USA 69 27.00 10 13 4
6 Ian Atkins GB 76 29.00 6 20 3
7 Kerry Klingler USA 30 38.00 11 4 23
8 Joel ronning USA 52 39.00 29 2 8
9 Jud Smith USA 48 42.00 8 18 16
10 john brim USA 03 42.00 24 9 9
11 Bennet Greenwald USA 54 43.00 16 22 5
12 Kris Werner USA 23 49.00 20 7 22
13 Adam Burns USA 05 51.00 15 8 28
14 Peter Vessella USA 07 51.00 19 19 13
15 Marco Teixidor PUR 56 52.00 2 21 29%
16 Jenn Ray Wulff USA 22 53.00 1 23 29
17 Mikael Lindqvist SW 78 53.00 9 5 39
18 James Barnash USA 82 56.00 12 12 32
19 Martin Kullman USA 42 57.00 21 15 21
20 Martin Johnsson USA 61 58.00 17 14 27
21 Will Welles USA 50 66.00 37 11 18
22 Henry Filter USA 26 72.00 23 37 12
23 Thomas Bowen USA 11 75.00 34 30 11
24 Chuck Millican BER 33 78.00 33 31 14
25 Todd Hiller USA 49 79.00 41 28 10
26 Jim Cunningham USA 06 85.00 32 27 26
27 Mark Ploch USA 44 89.00 50 32 7
28 Stu McCrea CA 29 91.00 22 17 52
29 Stanley Edwards USA 79 92.00 13 34 45
30 Heather Gregg Earl USA 14 93.00 25 43 25
31 Jeff_John_Ed_Go Sulliv USA 75 96.00 46 10 40
32 Donald Finkle USA 02 97.00 51 29 17
33 Gregg Mylett USA 55 97.00 18 46 33
34 Catharine Evans USA 15 99.00 14 38 47
35 Daan Goedkoop USA 09 99.00 40 35 24
36 David Koski USA 64 100.00 36 44 20
37 Richard Nesbett USA 12 107.00 28 45 34
38 Neil Sullivan USA 73 109.00 31 41 37
39 tyler doyle USA 31 113.00 27 56 30
40 Maxwell Plarr USA 74 117.00 43 24 50
41 Dave Franzel USA 65 123.00 53 39 31
42 Paul Cannon USA 04 128.00 30 49 49
43 Ian Mayers CA 51 129.00 49 42 38
44 Frank McNamara USA 41 133.00 47 50 36
45 William Markel USA 39 134.00 63 36 35
46 Bruno Pasquinelli USA 21 135.00 38 25 72q
47 Scott Weakley CA 37 135.00 68 26 41
48 Brandon Flack USA 13 138.00 26 66% 46
49 Kathy Parks USA 35 142.00 65 33 44
50 Ron Thompson USA 24 142.00 52 47 43
51 John DiMatteo USA 18 148.00 39 54 55
52 Neil Ford USA 72 150.00 56 40 54
53 Tim Gibbs USA 45 156.00 61 53 42
54 andrew fisher USA 77 158.00 44 48 66
55 Corbo Corbishley USA 46 160.00 54 55 51
56 peter Firey USA 16 162.00 42 64 56
57 Rich Bergmann USA 70 163.00 35 67 61
58 Anthony Byrne USA 28 163.00 48 57 58
59 Jonathan Pollak USA 43 168.00 45 66 57
60 R. Latane Montague USA 83 169.00 58 63 48
61 Davis King USA 80 170.00 59 51 60
62 Kenneth Smith USA 47 173.00 62 58 53
63 Edward Backman CA 60 178.00 55 61 62
64 David Dombroski USA 27 186.00 60 62 64
65 J.B. Walsh USA 57 188.00 57 72% 59
66 Martin McKenna USA 01 195.00 71 59 65
67 timothy Weibel USA 08 199.00 66 70 63
68 Mark Wagner USA 38 202.00 69 65 68
69 Holly Graf 84 204.00 64 71 69
70 Kristen Robinson USA 19 205.00 70 68 6771 Jim Hermetet USA 63 209.00 67 72% 70

Growing Sailing at the National Level, Part II

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By Airwaves Writer Sara Morgan Watters
Part 2: Growing the sport of sailing at the national level (This article follows up from the first, “How to Grow Sailing: A Wellington New Zealand Case Study“)
What is the role of a countries governing body of sailing and how can it best contribute to the sport in that country?
The U.S. Sailing mission statement reads, “provide leadership, integrity and advancement for the sport of sailing”. If you compare that to Yachting New Zealand’s (YNZ) mission statement, “helping New Zealanders access, enjoy and succeed on the water for life”, you can see a clear difference in priority. With a big push to get as many people involved in the sport now and for life, YNZ has been developing a very successful program over the last eight years to try to achieve its mission.
It shouldn’t be surprising, however, that in a country of only 4.5 million, surrounded completely by water, with a long tradition in the sport, that sailing isn’t a highly supported and mainstream sport. Nonetheless, the past and future success in the sport hasn’t come with out the efforts, investments, and support from their governing body of sailing.
In a recent article Growing the Sport of Sailing: a Wellington New Zealand Case Study, I described how the Wellington Ocean Sports Centre that has successfully introduced and involved many Wellingtonians to sailing and other water sports through an accessible and affordable program. But locally driven support for growing the sport doesn’t stop in New Zealand’s capital city. In fact, just to be sure sailing reaches as many small towns and clubs as possible, YNZ has designed an outreach program that brings sailing to kids, thus encouraging people from all across the country to get involved in the sport.
Volvo Sailing… Have a Go! began in 2006 operating out of one trailer and fulfilling the dream of Sir Peter Blake that all children should get the chance to go sailing. The Team New Zealand 2000 trust provided the original funding to get the program started and has since been supported by the Lion Foundation and in 2013 Volvo Cars New Zealand. The Volvo Sailing… Have a Go! YNZ program is run by three instructors assigned to different regions of New Zealand who each trailer the provided boats, coach boat, and equipment to different sailing clubs around the country, giving students between the ages of 8 to 12 a chance to try out the sport. Offering two half days or one full day ‘challenges’ students will take part in a variety of sailing activities and games which focus on physical and personal development, science and the environment and technology.
ynz
Not only does this program expose more people to the sport, it is great for the clubs as well since it helps boost membership from returning students with their families. With a happy memory of sailing while growing up, have-a-go kids will also be more likely to sign up with a yacht club later in life. Since it started in 2006 the program has grown each year, especially in the past three years with more yacht clubs and sponsors taking part. Just in the last season alone 3,586 kids took part in the program, which has introduced 1,234 students to sailing for the first time.
This program is just another example of how YNZ and many yacht clubs are committed to fulfilling their mission, with strong evidence that it is working. All sailors, yacht clubs, and national sailing bodies should be concerned with getting more people exposed and involved in the sport not just for altruistic reasons, but also for the indirect benefits it has for filtering support for the sport at the higher levels. So the question remains, what comes first; a push from the ground up for building programs like this or support from the top down to implement them?
To learn more: http://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/learn-to-sail/volvo-sailing-have-a-go

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