Kiwi Match
Loaded
Hog Cup 2004
While
most of you were drifting up the coast in this year’s coastal classic,
three teams from Auckland were on their way down to Wellington to race
in the Loaded Hog Cup.
The
Loaded Hog Cup is a new grade four match-racing regatta held out of
Royal Port Nicholson yacht club. Eight teams are invited to compete
in the event, which is sailed in MRX’s over three days. This was the
first year for the event and it received a lot of interest with teams
coming from as far as Auckland and Christchurch.
The
eight teams were made up of four local teams representing RPNYC, three
Auckland teams representing RNZYS, and one Christchurch team.
Entry
list:
After
arriving in Wellington at about 3:30 on Friday evening Kiwi match went
for a practice sail on the MRXs. These boats were identical to the
fleet in Auckland except for being about ten years newer. After a
few hours practice we headed to our accommodation in ‘Base Backpackers’
on Courtney Place about five minutes walk from the yacht club.
Racing
started at ten o’clock on Saturday in about 16-22 knots.
The
strong breeze and large shifts made the racing very close and exciting.
There was some amazing kite work as well as spectacular wipeouts as
crews struggled to keep kites under control while luffing in over 20
knots.
The
day ended when Elliot Cree from Wellington collided with Matt McDonnell
the local youth training program team. This happened when Cree on port
tack was trying to dip McDonnell. At the last moment Cree’s boat rounded
up into the back of McDonnell’s, putting a hole straight though the
bow of Cree’s boat and though the side of McDonnell’s.
After
the first day’s racing Sam Melville’s team, comprising of RNZYS youth
training members, was on the top of the table with three wins from three
races. Kiwi Match was on two wins from two races and Darrell Wislang’s
Snapper Match Racing team also on two wins from two races.
Other
teams performing well were Jessica Symthe’s all womens team who were
at their first regatta together, having only met two of her crew the
day before, and Matt McDonnell’s RPNYC youth training program crew.
Both these teams had some very close races, Jessica winning all her
starts and Matt only just losing to Sam Melville’s team in a luffing
match on the finish line.
The
boats were repaired over night and racing started on time the next day.
This time the wind was up to +22 knots and most of the races were sailed
without spinnakers. Sam Melville came out on the top after defeating
Kiwi Match when we were early on the start line.
The
final round robin results were:
| Melville
|
6
wins 1 loss |
| Jury
(Kiwi Match) |
6
wins 1 loss |
| Wislang
(Snapper Match Racing) |
5
wins 2 losses |
| Bloomfield |
4
wins 3 losses |
| McDonnell |
3
wins 4 losses |
| Smythe |
2
wins 5 losses |
| Cree |
2
wins 5 losses |
| Stechman |
0
wins 6 losses |
After
the round robin, racing was postponed until Monday due to high wind.
On
Monday the racing started in about 18-27 knots and once again the racing
was really close, with many lead changes and some tough aggressive prestarts.
Melville
choose to race Bloomfield in the semi finals. He had two tough races
where he lost both prestarts, but worked hard to over take Bloomfield
up the beat and progress to the finals.
Kiwi
Match also had two hard races with Darrel Wislang (Snapper Match Racing).
In about 25 knots with no kites we had to work hard to keep in front,
Darrel pushing us right to the finish. We managed to win two races and
progress to the finals.
In
the first race of the finals Kiwi Match had an even start, with both
boats starting on port, Melville to leeward. After a small right hand
shift Melville opened up enough room to tack on to starboard, we managed
to dip Melville and take the right hand side of the course.
Up
the beat we were engaged in a tacking duel. Melville had an advantage
but couldn’t cross us to get out to the right. Towards the top mark
we found the wind shift we were looking for and gained enough be able
to hold Melville out to the port lay-line.
We
rounded the top mark with Melville right on our stern. We had a close
down wind leg but managed to hold him off before covering hard up the
next beat and extending our lead to the finish.
In
the next race Kiwi Match had a better start and led off the line. We
covered hard and pushed Melville out to the starboard lay-line. We held
our lead around the course and finished in front to take out the 2004
Loaded Hog Cup.
The
regatta was a huge success. It was great to see a new regatta in Wellington
and great to get out and mix it up with some new teams. We all had a
really good time and the Wellington boys showed us how to have fun in
their home town. It will be awesome to have some more regattas like
this spring up all over New Zealand.
Kiwi
Match would like to thank the RPNYC for hosting such a great event,
Darrel Wislang for organizing the regatta, the umpires Ross May and
Andy Horton, the race committee, Loaded Hog for sponsoring the event
and all the teams for traveling so far to compete.
We
would also like to thank our sponsors Davis and Langdon, Dorlon
NZ, The Gear Locker and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
Without their support we would not be able to achieve our goals.
We thank you for investing your time and funds to make tours like
this possible.
31-Oct-2004
