HERBERT TAKES STARLING TITLE

PRE-REGATTA FAVOURITE Sean Herbert was crowned champion at the 45th Starling nationals held at Auckland’s Wakatere Boating Club over Easter weekend. The event drew 102 entrants from all over the country and the Cook Islands. And yet again, the champion was decided by the last race.

With two races to go, any of the top three on the points table could have won the series. Although leading through the qualifying series and into the final day’s racing, Luke Cashmore suffered a personal worst placing of 20th.

Herbert managed to win the same race – a fortunate bounce back after a shocker 23rd in the previous heat. He had been the season’s form sailor, winning regatta after regatta in all conditions.

He attracted high praise for wins in the upper wind ranges against bigger, stronger sailors despite his diminutive body weight. His win capped off a most successful season.

First female, Samantha Stock, was 11th overall, having sailed a solid, consistent regatta, never finishing worse than 18th and deservedly nabbing a second in race three.

The Development Fleet was won by Georgia Livingstone and YNZ’S Kim Admore spoke glowingly of the progress made by all eight sailors under his tutelage. This fleet is a small but important aspect of the Nationals, the participants enjoying invaluable onwater coaching while racing on their own course. The sailors came away with significantly enhanced sailing skills.

The regatta organisers Simon Probert, Penny Harrison and their team at Wakatere Boating Club ran a wonderful, clockworksmooth event with an air of friendly, relaxed efficiency. The Starling Nationals remains the strongest championship of any NZ designed class.