NZ Youth Championships - point hotting up with one to go

by Julie Worth on 12 Apr 2001 2001 Youth National Championships, Lake Taupo Yacht Club
Proudly supported by
Mighty River POWER

Another light wind day on Lake Taupo today for the 4th day of the YNZ Youth
National Championships. With a forecast predicting gale force winds in the
next few days, Race Organisers were lucky to get three races away for all
fleets. The 420 Men/Women, Laser Men, Laser Radial Women, and Mistral
Men/Women have more than just racing tension to contend with, as after
racing tomorrow Yachting New Zealand selectors John Clinton and Jack Lloyd
will use the regatta results to select a team to compete in the World Youth
Sailing Championships, in France in July.

420 Class:
Wilkinson/Woolley again showed their skill in the 420 class finishing today
with a 1, 1, 2. They were only beaten in the last race on the second to
last leg, with Shelley Bassett/Karen Lambert taking the lead to win the
final race of the day. Mike Bassett/Jake Bartrom jumped a few places today
with a 2, 2, 3 to now lie second overall. Their good performances today
decreases the gap to first, however Woolley/Wilkinson have a lead of 14
points, which will be difficult to catch with one race to go.

1 Geoff Woolley/Scott Wilkinson 09 points
2 Mike Bassett/Jake Bartrom 22 points
3 Shelley Bassett/Karen Lambert 23 points

Laser Men:
Michael Bullot sailed a consistent day in the Laser class to finish 1, 3, 2
to hold his first overall, with one race to go. Places have stayed the
same from yesterday, with races sailed in the same light conditions. With

1 Michael Bullot 14 points
2 Rasmus Diesen 18 points
3 Chris Kitchen 21 points

Laser Radial:
Kate O'Brien has a lead of 7 points in front of Miranda Powrie, after
finishing the day with a 2, 3, 5. Luke Judge leads the regatta overall,
eight points clear of Nick Bastow with Kate O'Brien in second overall.
They will be fighting it out in the last race tomorrow.

1 Luke Judge 10 points
2 Nick Bastow 18 points
3 Kate O'Brien 18 points
4 Miranda Powrie 19 points

Mistral
Thomas Ashley won all 3 races today, showing he can really perform in the
light conditions. With stronger breezes predicted for tomorrow, YNZ's
Youth Selectors will be watching with interest in his performance in the
stronger conditions. He leads James Eason, who is 12 points back in
second. There is a battle going on for Youth Selection in the girls, with
only one point separating Anna Eason and Anita Purdie. Purdie beat Eason
in two out of three races today, so with two races scheduled for the
Mistrals tomorrow, the pressure will be on both sailors to perform.

1 Thomas Ashley 08 points
2 James Eason 20 points
3 (1 girl) Anna Eason 24 points
4 (2 girl) Anita Purdie 25 points

29er
The points are hotting up in the 29er class with only one point separating
Scott Kennedy/Brad Thom and Japan's Koji Kamiya/Anthony Fry, after the
Japanese sailors finished the day with a 3, 1, 1, while Kennedy/Thom were a
little more inconsistent with 4, 2, 5. Only one race to go tomorrow.

1 Scott Kennedy/Brad Thom 14 points
2 Koji Kamiya/Anthony Fry 15 points
3 Rachel O'Brien/Kelly Riechelmann 24 points

P Class
Canterbury's Riley Dean is still showing his consistency, finishing today
with 2, 1, 1. He is 11 points clear of Amy Insoll and Olivia Powrie who
are tied on points for second.

1 Riley Dean (Mt Pleasant YC) 8 points
2 Amy Insoll 19 points
3 Olivia Powrie (Kohimarama YC) 29 points

Starling
Cam Marshall and Mark Overington are tied on points for first with only one
race to go. Luke Gower is only two points back in third, Marshall sailed
had a great day winning two races, and finishing 3rd in the other. They
also have won race tomorrow.

1 Mark Overington 22 points
2 David Tucker 22 points
3 Luke Gower 24 points

For more information or further details, please call Julie Worth on (025
752 454)
For results please look on www.yachtingnz.org.nz under the news page.