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RNZYS day 1 report,
The Nespresso Youth International Match Racing Regatta is run annually by the RNZYS on the waters of Auckland harbour.
There are 15 youth teams competing in the event, including teams from USA, Japan, New Caledonia and Australia.
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht a club is being represented by two teams. Clare Costanzo and her team of Jess Angus, Emma Rankin, Hannah Lanz and Juliet Costanzo. Skippering the second team is James Farquharson, Niall Powers, Harley Spreadbury-Key, Ruby Scholten and Cam Whiteside.
RPAYC returns as the defending yacht club, having won the 2017 edition of this regatta, when Malcolm Parker became the first club member since James Spithill to win this prestigious event.
Both teams acknowledge reaching the podium will be a difficult task, given the caliber of the 15 teams assembled and are taking it one race at a time.
Racing got under way in a 12-16 knot north easterly. Large rain showers caused major shifts, wind variance and coach discomfort throughout the day!
Both teams finished off the day with 3 wins and 3 loses.
Costanzo is fast adapting to the new racetrack, with the major variable to deal with being the strong currents that come through the courses. Two new crew join Clare this week, and they are ironing out some boat handling and communications issues that naturally come with new combinations.
Farquharson managed to have a pleasing day on the water. Ticking of one of his goals which was to keep a cool head and find the right level of intensity. Again the new crew combinations are working well, and have plenty of refinements they can make to keep competitive as the week goes on.
It’s very early results wise to see where we are sitting overall as some teams only did 1 race yesterday, due to some having a long bye.
We have the luxury this morning of sitting in the warm confines of the yacht club, whilst our fellow competitors battle it out in torrential rain.
Hopefully later this afternoon we will get a chance to get out on the water after we have sat through our byes.
Great to see some of the past and current Youth Development graduates at the pointy end of the results back home in the Etchell’s Worlds Qualifiers.
Regards,
Tom Spithill
Head Coach
