Waikawa club opens season in grand style
The Waikawa Boating Club opened their 2017-18 season with a flurry of activity.
In quick succession, the Marlborough Sounds-based club staged the inaugural Mud House Wines Women’s Helm Regatta at the weekend, celebrated their Opening Day along the way then, on Tuesday, held the first Marlborough Sounds Marina Spring Twilight Race of the new season.
The weather was favourable throughout, with low to medium winds and competitive racing.
The Women’s Helm event proved a hit with the women and their crews. Bump n Grind, crewed by Rosie Lees, Sheena Thomson and Matt Michel, won the regatta, from Free Radical, with Amelia Dalley at the helm. Nine boats were helmed by women, leading 50 participants who hailing from Marlborough, Nelson, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.
Waikawa Boating Club manager Sue van Velzen said it was great to see people come from many areas of New Zealand, mentioning the yacht Wedgetail making the journey across Cook Strait from Wellington especially for the occasion.
She made special mention of the skippers who allowed their boats to be helmed by the entrants.
The teams at Mud House and Waikawa Boating Club are already casting their eyes to next year’s sailing weekend, to see familiar faces and new ones.
‘‘We’re looking forward to this event growing in 2018 and becoming a regular on the racing calendar,’’ added van Velzen.
The Waikawa club’s cruising division joined in the opening day event by taking a gentle cruise, entering the marina together.
Tuesday saw the start of the Marlborough Sounds Marinas Spring Twilight Series.
In light winds, 43 boats turned out for some hotly-cotested racing. Khamsin, with Dave Kelway and his crew, took first division honours and On Appro, with Nicky Jenkins, Paul Skelton and their crew, the second division.
Blaze Away skippered by Trevor Purver and his crew, took the win in division three.