Kiwi Campaigns

Day 3 Governor's Cup: RNZYS has early exit.

The semi-finals have concluded in the 39th Governor’s Cup sailed at Balboa Yacht Club. Three days racing have been completed.

Royal Prince Alfred YC from Sydney is one of the finalists  (Photo: Longpre)

Those going through to the semi-finals were: Nylandska Jaktklubben (FIN), Southern Yacht Club (USA), South of Perth Yacht Club (AUS), and Royal Prince Alfred YC (AUS).

As fourth qualifier, from the Round Robin phase, Royal Prince Alfred picked up the last semi-final slot by virtue of application of tie-breaker rules over the host club crew from Balboa. RPAYC had tied with Balboa Yacht Club for fourth, but as RPAYC had beaten BYC in their Round Robin match, RPAYC went through to the final four.

In the first semi-final RPAYC beat Southern Yacht Club, while the Finnish team beat South of Perth. In the finals, on Saturday, RPAYC will have to sail against the Finnish team, which has won all but one race in the series. South of Perth YC will be racing Southern Yacht Club for third, in the last races of the day.

Silja Lehtinen, the helmsman of the Finnish team, commented that she didn’t expect their team to do so well. She really likes the boats, built for this event, since they are great for these conditions. She had not sailed in Gov Cup 21’s before, but she certainly learned how to sail them very quickly and well.

On Saturday, the final day of racing, the 5th place team will race the 6th, pitting local rivals, NHYC against the host team, BYC. All of the teams will be racing during the day, providing a challenge for each.

The winning team will be escorted back to the dock for a celebration. Awards will be presented Saturday evening.

The highest placing two US teams are invited to the International Youth Match Race Series that takes place in February at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland. The top US team also qualifies for the Cowes Youth Week Match Race regatta held in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England the following year.

The 2005 Governor’s Cup is presented by Boatswain’s Locker, and co-sponsored by Quiksilver, Daily Pilot, Island Marine Fuel, Barnacle Bill’s, Inc. Underwater Yacht Maintenance, West Marine and Gerard Signs and Graphics.

Round Robin Results:
 

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Kiwi Campaigns

Day 2 Governor's Cup: RNZYS team has some work ahead.

Crews from four nations and 12 yacht clubs are competing in the 39th edition of the Governor’s Cup sailed out of the Balboa Yacht Club, CA USA.

 RNZYS crew at Balboa YC (Photo: LongPre)

The second day of racing provided a much more satisfying day, with stronger winds, and spirited racing. Series leader is Nylandska Jaktklubben (FIN) who has an impressive score of eight wins and one loss after the second day of the regatta.  Top overseas crew is from South of Perth Yacht Club, which is lying in third overall, with a card of six wins and three losses.

Nylandska Jaktklubben (or NJK) has a helmsman with local knowledge.  The only girl on any of  the teams, Silja Lehtinen had raced for Newport Harbor High School two years ago when she spent a year in Newport as an exchange student.  After the racing, she stated that she was very pleased with their starts today.  Yesterday she felt that they had been able to pass their opponents once they were on the race course, but that their starts had needed some work.  The team from Finland includes Silja’s brother Lauri Lehtinen and Sean Doyle.  They had not sailed as a team before, but they have certainly become one now.

Five rounds of the round robin were completed.

Tomorrow, Friday, the race committee will begin racing with the final two rounds of the round robin format.  When those are completed, the second phase will begin, with the top four teams competing against each other, then the middle four, then the final four.  On Saturday, July 23, all the teams will again compete to decide the final standings.

Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, is represented by Training Manager Kevin Peet and  a crew of  Logan Sutherland, 17, Garth Ellingham, 18 and Brad Hooker, 19.   Peet has brought a team to Balboa to compete for the past three years. The Governor’s Cup at Balboa Yacht Club is the first regatta on the RNZYS calendar for this year.  In the 2004 Gov Cup, the team placed second in a closely fought battle with Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club of New South Wales, Australia.  Two of the three crew members from RPAYC are returning, while the RNZYS team members are all new to this regatta.  However, there is history on the side of the RNZYS, which boasts four Governor’s Cup winners in the last fifteen years. 

The 2005 Governor’s Cup is presented by Boatswain’s Locker, and co-sponsored by Quiksilver, Daily Pilot, Island Marine Fuel, Barnacle Bill’s, Inc. Underwater Yacht Maintenance, West Marine and Gerard Signs and Graphics.

Nancy Mellon - Corona del Mar, CA.  July 21, 2005.