The 2012 North Sails Starling Match Racing Championship was completed at Murrays Bay over Jan 10-13. Twelve contestants representing regions within New Zealand sailed two round robins comprising 132 races over two days.  In the event’s 21 year history, this was the first time the championship was won by a female sailor. Seventeen year old Alice Noyer representing Northland was the clear leader with 20 wins from 22 races.  Second was Sam MacKay (East Coast NI) and third William Linkhorn (Auckland). Both were tied on 18 wins but between them, Sam won both their matches so on count back took second placing.

Other placings:

4^th Matthew Hughes             (North Harbour)

5^th Charlotte Corston           (Christchurch)

6^th Jordelle Simkin               (Taranaki)

7^th Liam Foley Logan           (Nelson)

8^th Zak Merton                       (Bay of Plenty)

9^th Callum Pritchard              (Wellington)

10^th Sam Ruston                   (Sth Canterbury)

11^th William Bennett             (Otago)

12^th Emma Thomas              (Wanganui / Manawatu)

In another first, the regatta was sailed in identical boats supplied by the Starling Class Association. Six fibre-glass hulls were fitted with identical Southern Spars carbon masts, new North sails and new MacKay foils thus providing the perfect match racing equipment platform for the regatta. The competitors benefited from having boats with identical boat speed, a feature absent from all previous Starling Match Racing regattas. For the out of town entrants, travel times, attendance costs and participation complexities were greatly reduced with the provided boat feature. 

The Umpires, without whom the contest couldn’t function were Mike Alison, Don le Page, Vince Newbold and Melinda Henshaw.

See further images in the Photos link to the left.

The Winter champs are over and so an updated traveller series spreadsheet is attached

Numbers were down at this year's Winter Champs. Some classes did not even make a fleet.There are a number of possible reasons such as clashes with Rugby World Cup events, Earthquakes and the general recession. The most likely reason is the fact the many families were off to Napier the following weekend for the Opti North Islands which are not normally held at that time, and if that was the case, as a class, we need to be very aware of the need for classes and clubs to work together to coordinate our regattas throughout the year and throughout the country. 

A 2 day Yachting NZ Starling only coaching clinic is being organised for the 14th and 15th of January. These are the two days after the reserve day of the Starling Match Racing Championship and  during the Tauranga Cup all at Murrays Bay.  Entries are limited (25) to members of Auckland clubs only but any other club or region wishing to organise a YNZ coaching clinic should visit http://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/Upload/UserDocument/Sailors/Youth%20Sailing/YNZ%20Regional%20Zone%20Clinics.pdf

It is hoped to keep the entry fee very low and to achieve that we may need to ask Auckland clubs to make a coach boat available. More detail on this soon.

We have been asked to bring your attention to a new 2 day regatta organised for this coming weekend at Akarana YC. Several Kohi sailors are planning to enter so if you are looking for some competition this is an opportunity. NOR attached.

Just a reminder that Regional entries for the Starling Match Racing Championship in January close on 10th December even though nomination of the sailor can be delayed until Jan 1st

For those of you busy with exams we wish you good luck

Richard Brown

You're always a winner if you sail a Starling and do well in your exams.

Attached are the NOR for the:

Hibiscus Coast Youth Regatta which is the first regatta in the Traveller series this year.
Stack Interiors Winter Champs at Murrays Bay which of course is the venue for the 2012 nationals.
North Island Champs at Maraetai

Also a draft NOR for the Starling National Match Racing. This is only a draft because it has not yet been approved by YNZ but I am not expecting any significant changes.

I was recently asked for information about boats for sale. I do not intend to run this service on an ongoing basis because of the time involved in making changes. Perhaps someone else would like to volunteer.!!!! However I am also receiving requests about secondhand gear such as sails and foils. So, on a one off basis for this year, if you have any second hand gear you wish to sell or wish to buy send me the details. Please put it in a simple email to this address so that I can copy and paste it into a word document. Include only those email addresses or phone numbers you are happy to have published. Do not send photos. Make sure you indicate where you are in NZ. I will compile a list in about a weeks time and then send it to anyone who enquires. There are some hard up sailors who would appreciate $0 donations. 

For a list of boats and equipment click here.

Brian Peet