Colin Forbes Easter Rally

From left, Mattias Coutts with his father, Kristin School coach Sir Russell Coutts and William Mason with his father, Matt Mason, Takapuna Grammar coach. Harken champs bring out the stars

Story & pictures by Debra Douglas “So long as they are having fun, it’s all good,“ said former America’s Cup sailor Matt Mason, the coach of his 13-yearold son William’s Takapuna Grammar Yellow Team, competing in the Harken National Secondary Schools Keelboat Championship hosted by the Squadron.

Offering advice to the next generation of competitive sailors Matt was joined by fellow America’s Cup champions, Dean Barker, whose daughter Mia was a member of a Diocesan School crew, Joey Allen and Sir Russell Coutts, who helped the Kristin School team, which included his 16-year-old son Mattias.

Watching her son Sam Clarke from the side lines, as a member of the volunteer race management team, was Jenny Egnot, who competed for New Zealand at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 470 class. Sam, at 14, was the youngest member of the winning, Westlake Boys High Red Team.

A record number of 20 crews competed for this year’s title and for many the qualification

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day was the first time they had made the transition from single or double-handed boats into the Elliott 7s.

Matt: “It is a massive learning curve and exciting for someone like William, the little nipper on board. It was the first real keel boat he had sailed on and actually had to do something. William is an Optimist sailor and for the last months has been training for the Optimist and Starling National Championships in Napier.

“I get nervous watching him competing in the big fleets that the Opti attracts, but at this event I was a bit frustrated. Frustrated because the team has so much to learn. But they are only going to learn from their mistakes.

“Every race they made mistakes and we tried to eliminate those mistakes in the next race. Sailing downwind was especially tricky for them, getting the right angles, the right modes.

“But William loved the racing, sailing with other kids as a team. They spend so much time on their own when sailing Opti and P-classes. They did the best they could and they had fun, like teenagers should.”

Jenny Egnot says watching Sam compete brings out the motherly instinct in her. “You are always wanting the best experiences for your kids. I’m lucky I ‘m not a nail-biter, or I’d have none.

“It is best if Sam can learn through making his own decisions. As long as he has fun. Sailing is a sport for life. You don’t have to win every race to enjoy it. And of course, stick to the normal routines. My advice: don’t forget to drink and eat and put on sunblock!”

The win for Westlake Boys made it the third keelboat championship title for the school in four years.

Skipper Lucas Day, a 420 helmsman, will

Pictured with Harken’s National Sales Manager Guy Pilkington, the winning Westlake Boys Red Team are from left, Josh Hilder (bow), Levi Jenkins (trimmer), Lucas Day (helm), Robbie Wooldridge (mainsheet) and Sam Clarke (floater).

represent NZ at the Sailing Youth World Championships in the Netherlands in July. Sam (Starling & 29er) was joined by Josh Hilder, also a Starling and 29er sailor, Levi Jenkins, who crews the 29er with Josh, and Robbie Wooldridge (29er) .

Results – Gold Fleet 1st – Westlake Boys High School Red 2nd – Saint Kentigern College 3rd – Kristin School 4th – Glendowie School 5th – Nelson Combined 6th – Westlake Boys High School Green 7th – Auckland Grammar School 8th – Takapuna Grammar School Yellow 9th – Sacred Heart College 10th – Kerikeri High School Blue Results – Silver Fleet 1st – Kings College 2nd – Whangarei Boys High School 3rd – Takapuna Grammar School Blue 4th – Diocesan School for Girls White 5th – Nelson College for Girls 6th – Otumoetai College 7th – Whangarei Girls High School 8th – Kerikeri High School Red 9th – Michael Park School 10th – Diocesan School for Girls Red.

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