College Yachting Third at Nationals

Ten Saint Kentigern sailors competed in the NZSS Keelboat Championship hosted at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Sailing in the Elliott 7 yacht class, our sailors competed strongly on the Waitematā Harbour. Saint Kentigern Team Two (Louis Quere, Keaton Lay, Jack Scarlett, Natalie Mitchell, and Edward Gravit) placed third overall.

Saint Kentigern students also competed at the Secondary School Teams Sailing Regionals at Royal Akarana Yacht Club. Defending champions, the Premier team again competed strongly, dominating most of their races but finally finishing second, narrowly conceding victory to Auckland Grammar School. Our newly formed Saint Kentigern all-women team had a barnstorming start to the regatta winning nine of their ten races on the first day and catapulting them to the top of the Silver Fleet. Their success earned promotion to the Gold Fleet, and they finished second overall.

The Saint Kentigern Development team also had a great first regatta, and multiple race wins saw them finishing strongly in the middle of the Silver fleet. 

Following this, a whopping 25-strong Saint Kentigern Sailing Team hit the water to compete in the 73rd Annual Secondary School Fleet Racing Regatta on 8 March. The event was sailed at the North Shore’s Narrow Neck Beach in nice 12 knot winds and sunshine. Saint Kentigern was represented in six boat classes, and our combined results placed us second overall, narrowly beaten by Auckland Grammar.

In the RS Feva class Emily Frewin and Pippa Schultz finished as the first girls and third overall in a fleet of 26 boats – an outstanding effort. Keaton Lay and Tom Peters were in fifth overall, and Anna Dold and Lola-Jean Hutchens were the second girls, and eighth overall.

In Optimists, Zofia Wells won first girl and fourth overall in a fleet of 25 boats. Again, outstanding. Lauren Arnold finished as the fourth girl and Philippa Wiltshire was the fifth girl.

In Starlings, Blake McKinnon narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth in a fleet of 40 boats.

The team was supported by a wicked crew of parents on the water and on the beach. Thanks to everyone that volunteered their time to make it all happen.