Excellent response to yachting event

Press, 8 May 1985, Page 50

Excellent response to yachting event

Christchurch Boys’ High School will be the Canterbury representative in the second Epiglass national secondary schools’ yachting championship, to be sailed off Narrowneck Beach, near Auckland, from May 11 to 15.

More than 100 teenagers representing 18 teams from the Bay of Islands to Invercargill, and one from Rarotonga won final selection from regional trials held throughout the country. The chairman of the organising committee, Mr Robert Brooke, said that about 3000 schoolchildren took part in the trials. He added that the event was the biggest youth yachting championship in the country and that he was overwhelmed with the response. There was an increase in the number of girls competing in the trials and

12 gained final selection.

The regional selection process was fierce, and competitive, and in Auckland South the champion team for the last two years, Auckland Grammar, was beaten for a place by the improving Macleans College from Bucklands Beach.

The Epiglass championship, which will be organised by the Wakatere Boating Club, involves a match race format, with six teams competing against one another at the same time. Teams consist of three boats with each boat having a crew of two.

All the yachts are in the Sunburst class and special colour coded sails have been made for the series. Six new Sunbursts have been built for the series by Healing Industries which is also funding prizes, uniform and travel expenses for the

winners to compete overseas.

All boats are identical and both boats and crews will be selected by draw. “This means the youngsters win on yachting skills alone,” said Mr Brooke. “Skills, team spirit and school pride are at the heart of the series.”

The winning team gains the Epiglass national trophy and will represent New Zealand at an inter-Dominion championship later in the year. Last year the young yachtsmen won the right to wear the New Zealand silver fern when competing in Australia.

Apart from Christchurch Boys’ High School, other South Island representatives are Marlborough Boys’ College, Buller High School, Timaru Boys’ High School, Logan Park High School (Otago) and Cargill High School (Southland).