29ER FLEET
GOOD GROWTH THROUGH THE SEASON
CENTREBOARD
The 29er fleet at RPA is another of the fleets seeing good growth through the season. With sailors moving off to University, their places have been filled by a group of new younger sailors who are being shown how to do things by Traks. It is amazing to see how quickly these kids can adapt from other smaller and slower classes.
Leading the way in the fleet this year, has been the team of Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot. Following on from their first overseas trip last winter, where they competed in three major regattas including the Worlds in Pwllheli, the girls showed what they had learnt on the road by taking out 3rd overall at the Nationals followed by a 2nd overall at the Australian Youth Champs. A great job for the girls, showing the boys, how to do it.
In July this year at the QLD Youth Week Regatta, Tash and Annie qualified to represent Australia at the Youth World Championships which will be held in Auckland New Zealand later this year.
STEVE BRYANT
FINNS
FINN GOLD CUP IN TAKAPUNA NZ
Last year RPAYC was 1,2,3 and 5 at the Nationals in Black Rock, Victoria. Joe McMillan took out the National title with Ian McKillop second, Matt Visser 3rd and James Mayjor in 5th and Rod Tanks in his first year in the Finn a credible 10th.
Ian and Joe represented the Club at the Finn Gold Cup in Takapuna NZ. They shipped their boats which didn’ t allow for much training and they scored a 55 for Joe and a 58th for Ian which shows the depth of the international fleet.
This year saw James Mayjor out with knee surgery, Ian McKillop committed to Etchells but Rod Tanks and Matt Visser travelled to Adelaide for the Nationals.
Matt was second and Rod getting used to a new mast was 13th, James and Rod competed in the Masters Worlds in Lake Garda this year and had a wonderful regatta with a record fleet of 355 boats split into four fleets.
James with about three days of training was a very credible 68th and Rod at his first international regatta also a very credible 110th.
Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot, showed what they had learnt on the road by taking out 3rd overall at the Nationals followed by a 2nd overall at the Australian Youth Champs.
The Nationals are being sailed off Barrenjoey January 16-21, 2017. And we look forward to 30 + boat fleet competing.
Anyone interested in giving the Finn a try or competing in the upcoming nationals contact Matt Visser mattaus05 @ gmail. com
MATT VISSER
62 YACHTSMAN