29ER FLEET
GOOD GROWTH THROUGH THE SEASON
CENTREBOARD
The 29er fleet at RPA is another of the fleets seeing good growth through the season . With sailors moving off to University , their places have been filled by a group of new younger sailors who are being shown how to do things by Traks . It is amazing to see how quickly these kids can adapt from other smaller and slower classes .
Leading the way in the fleet this year , has been the team of Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot . Following on from their first overseas trip last winter , where they competed in three major regattas including the Worlds in Pwllheli , the girls showed what they had learnt on the road by taking out 3rd overall at the Nationals followed by a 2nd overall at the Australian Youth Champs . A great job for the girls , showing the boys , how to do it .
In July this year at the QLD Youth Week Regatta , Tash and Annie qualified to represent Australia at the Youth World Championships which will be held in Auckland New Zealand later this year .
STEVE BRYANT
FINNS
FINN GOLD CUP IN TAKAPUNA NZ
Last year RPAYC was 1,2,3 and 5 at the Nationals in Black Rock , Victoria . Joe McMillan took out the National title with Ian McKillop second , Matt Visser 3rd and James Mayjor in 5th and Rod Tanks in his first year in the Finn a credible 10th .
Ian and Joe represented the Club at the Finn Gold Cup in Takapuna NZ . They shipped their boats which didn ’ t allow for much training and they scored a 55 for Joe and a 58th for Ian which shows the depth of the international fleet .
This year saw James Mayjor out with knee surgery , Ian McKillop committed to Etchells but Rod Tanks and Matt Visser travelled to Adelaide for the Nationals .
Matt was second and Rod getting used to a new mast was 13th , James and Rod competed in the Masters Worlds in Lake Garda this year and had a wonderful regatta with a record fleet of 355 boats split into four fleets .
James with about three days of training was a very credible 68th and Rod at his first international regatta also a very credible 110th .
Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot , showed what they had learnt on the road by taking out 3rd overall at the Nationals followed by a 2nd overall at the Australian Youth Champs .
The Nationals are being sailed off Barrenjoey January 16-21 , 2017 . And we look forward to 30 + boat fleet competing .
Anyone interested in giving the Finn a try or competing in the upcoming nationals contact Matt Visser mattaus05 @ gmail . com
MATT VISSER
62 YACHTSMAN