Sunday, September 20, 2009

Danish Open

Hi Supporters,

















Last week we finished up in Denmark with a solid 10th place finish at a World Match Racing Tour Event. We had a fantastic last day gaining 3 wins and 3 losses, putting us on a total of 4wins and 7 losses for the event. However, the 3 we lost on this day were no give a ways. Taking them all down to the wire, losing one of them by only half a boat length, we were proud of how well we sailed. We identified that a lack of experience caused these 3 losses due to minor mistakes and slight eras in high pressure situations. However, we are satisfied with how our performance improved as the regatta progressed, taking down some top names in the process. Beating the current world number 1, tour leader and fellow kiwi Adam Minoprio was a high light as it shows what we can do and how much we have improved. Small steps will now take us to the top of the game as we have set a great platform for us to build off.


















The next event for Waka racing is the very prestigious Gold Cup in Bermuda which is also a World Tour event in two weeks time. We are going to Chicago first to do some training against the founder of the Chicago Match Race Centre, Don Wilson, to get used to the odd ways of an International One Design. These will be very foreign boats to us as we have never raced anything quite as old. A great challenge that we are looking forward to tackling.


We must thank you all for your encouragement, kind words and humour as it all helps and we love receiving them!

Friday, September 18, 2009

New ISAF Ranking

Yesterday ISAF released the latest World Match Racing Rankings with us jumping up to our best ever place of 24th. When we left New Zealand at the start of our tour we set a goal of achieving top 25 by the end of the year. To have achieved this already, the team is really proud of themselves and shows that all the hard work is paying off.

We would like to thank everyone for all help and support it really makes a difference!

Cheers,

The WAKA Boys

Phil Robertson
Garth Ellingham
Sam Bell
James Williamson

Sunday, September 6, 2009

2nd Best...

Hi Guys,

Have just come off the water and are enjoying prize-giving.
Will just post a quick report.
In the semis today we beat Jury 2-1 in a close shifty series. This put us in the finals against olympic gold medalist Anna Tunnicliffe.
In a shortened series we unfortunately lost the final and deciding race after an error in thr pre-start being over the line early. Going down 2-1 and finishing second.

The team is pretty gutted but once again sailed well all regatta and we are looking forward to the World Tour Event in Denmark starting on the 10th of September.

Full report will come soon.

cheers,

WAKA Boys.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Day 3 Detroit Match

Hi guys


Day two started for us with the Quarter Finals. We were deemed to race the mighty Dave Perry who beat us in the semis at the Knickerbocker Cup. We started the first race real well by putting a double penalty on him in the pre start and lead, with a comfortable margin, for the whole race. Race two didn’t go as well or too plan. We controlled the start of the pre start and then hit some big waves, losing our speed with 1 minute to go and he hooked us forcing us to the horribly unfavoured right hand side.

Race 3, the decider, winner goes through. We lead in to the line with 1 minute 30 to go. We got ourselves into a spot of bother, fighting tide, tight on pin lay and did our best to hold our position. Dave was to windward with gauge but closed it up. With 10seconds to go we were clearly not laying the pin but with time ticking over Dave thankfully tacked off letting us follow, making the pin and winning the left hand side of the course. We proceeded to claim the left and held a 4 length lead though out the race to win.

Semi finals were next against fellow Kiwi team, Laurie Jury. We only had one race due to the day getting old and managed to scrape in a victory to lead the series 1-0. We will be back tomorrow for the final day to try and finish off the semis and take then see if we can pull out our A game and take the competition.


Cheers WAKA Boys

Friday, September 4, 2009

Detroit Match, day 2

Day two started under postponement due to a lack of breeze but soon got under way in about 6kts of breeze. We started the day against Anna Tunnicliffe, leading her off the line towards the left. After working up the wall out of tide she managed to just gain the early lead by a boat length. By the top mark she had extended to two lengths but we reeled her in downwind but not enough to pass by the bottom mark. We sailed the next beat superbly but made a small error at the top where we under laid by half a length and she ran away with he win.

We finished the round off in the late afternoon with 2 more wins( one black flagging the British Nick Cherry in the pre start) and one loss to Swinton.

The team is sailing well and keeping it chilled. The pre starts are generally the most important part of this regatta as you have to be getting out of the current first. We have been winning most starts and sailing smart upwind and learning from the couple of mistakes we have made. Another good day and we should probably qualify 2nd or 3rd so happy with the result so far. Quarter Finals tomorrow so a good sleep for the boys is on the cards!

Event web site for results and media: www.byc.com/Detroitcup

Results:

Skipper Wins

K. Swinton 7
C. Van Tol 3
P.Robertson 8
N. Cherry 3
D. Perry 6
T. Canfield 7
L. Jury 7
R. Corbett 4
S. Barkow 3
N. Hollerbach 8
A. Hollerbach 2
A. Tunnicliffe 8

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Detroit Match,day 1

The Detroit Match Race cup is set on a river with 2 knots of current and Canada in the background. The start of today was delayed with lack of breeze but it filled in and 12 flights later it was 6pm.

Tackling the strong current we had a good day, winning 6 races and losing 1. Our loss came against Taylor Canfield of the American Virgin Islands when he infringed in the pre start and won the pin. We sailed a brilliant race to stay so close to him but not quite enough as he got his penalty in by an inch on the finish line.

We're looking forward to tomorrow and ready for another big day!

Event web site: www.byc.com/Detroitcup/


RESULTS

K. Swinton 3-2
C. Van Tol 2-5
P.Robertson 6-1
N. Cherry 0-5
D. Perry 4-1
T. Canfield 5-2
L. Jury 2-3
R. Corbett 4-3
S. Barkow 2-5
N. Hollerbach 3-2
A. Hollerbach 0-5
A. Tunnicliffe 5-2


Cheers Waka Boys!

3rd in knickerbocker Cup

The Knickerbocker Cup is set on the Long Island Sound, Manhasset Bay, New York. We started the regatta ranked in 3rd position and after winning the Chicago Match Cup were in good spirits. Conditions are usually light and tricky so we knew what to expect. Our goal was to progress through to each stage and always be in a position to make the finals and have a shot at the title.
Out of the 4 days racing we had rain and light winds for two of them and sun and no wind for the other two. Day 1 saw very little breeze with the Race Committee only managing to complete 6 flights and us only racing 1 of them. We were fortunate enough to put a point on the board and get ready for day two.

With rain all day and a decent breeze day two was going to be a big day for the team and a chance to stamp our mark on the regatta and we did just that. We completed 7 races on this day, winning 5 of them and only losing to fellow Kiwi Reuben Corbett and American and past winner Chris Van Tol. We were very happy with the day and how we tackled the tough conditions and put us in a good spot on the leader board.

Day 3 saw more rain and more light winds. With 3 races to complete we were already guaranteed a place in the quarter finals but wanted to finish the round in a top spot. We only managed to win 1 of our 3 remaining races, losing to Swinton (AUS) and also the Swede, Fornander. This putting us in 3rd position after the round robin which we were happy with. The afternoon brought a nice 6-8knt breeze giving the RC the chance to start the quarter finals. The format was a round robin between the top 6 teams. We sailed this round very well, winning the first 3 races and only losing to Corbett in the last race of the day. We came off the line on his hip and tacked off to the right. We picked up the first big 30degree wind shift with pressure and looked a long way ahead. He continued to the left hand side and picked up one just as big. He then just crossed us at the top mark and held his lead for the remainder of the race.

With the last day brining yet again little breeze and overcast conditions we had 1 race to complete the quarter final stage. With top ranked Keith Swinton to race we knew it was a must win to secure a top 2 spot in this stage. We managed to pin him out in the start and control the race from there. This was no easy task as the breeze was shifting something chronic but we managed to hold him off and take the point. The breeze died to nothing and race was postponed till 2.30. With the semi finals and finals to complete the breeze was shifting between about 60degrees with big puffs and lulls. We were deemed to race Dave Perry (USA) the winner of the Cup in ’88 and ’92. Race one we came off the line to leeward and he go the first cross. In the tricky conditions he sailed well to hold his lead and win the race by two lengths.
Race 2 we had a stunning start. Coming off the line ahead we gained to about a 4 boat length lead. A big shift to the left at the top mark bought Dave back into the game and he managed to just round ahead. We then set up well downwind to make another pass and take the lead round the bottom mark. Upwind again he managed to break right and pick up another shift and round the top 2 lengths ahead. He held his lead this time downwind to take the semi final 2-0. Disappointing for the boys but conditions were very shifty and hard to see making it hard to stay in front. Full credit to Dave as he did sail extremely well in the shifty breeze.

We now had to sail off for 3rd and 4th against Keith Swinton. Race 1 we split tacked to the right but copped a penalty in the pre start. We had a 4 length lead but couldn’t find a place to fit the penalty in and we got another in the process of us trying to trap him. Race 2 and 3 saw us dominate the starts and come of the line splitting to the favoured right and winning both races by a comfortable margin to take 3rd spot.

As a team we felt we put in a very solid effort by always putting ourselves in a spot to race in the final stages. We were very happy with our boat speed and tactics but just couldn’t nail the big shifts in the semi finals to move through to the final.

We would like to thank Stefan of Widex, Pacific Sports Community Trust, Ian of Tax Management NZ, Line 7, RNZYS, Simon from Frontend Design and the WAKA racing supporters club for all their help and generosity.

FINAL RESULTS
Reuben Corbett (NZ)
Dave Perry (USA)
Phil Robertson (NZ)
Keith Swinton (AUS)
Rick Fornander (SWE)
Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)
Sally Barkow (USA)
Taylor Canfield (ISV)
Laurie Jury (NZ)
Chris Van Tol (USA)
Juan Grimaldi (ARG)
Jakub Pawluk (POL)