Successful Debut for 2016 420 Oceania Championship
2016 420 Oceania Championships wrapped up on Sunday 5 June, with New Zealand local boys Josh Berry/Henry Haslett winning 6 points ahead of Japan's Kataro Matsuo/Takumi Miura.
Raced on a course area planned for the 2016 Youth Worlds, teams were given a range of conditions from day 1 light under 7 knots to day two 9 - 18 knots. International teams appreciated learning the local Torbay water conditions, including current variance.
Championship winners Berry/Haslett demonstrated the importance of needing to check equipment, after a forestay sheave block jammed after race 4, requiring a return to the beach forcing them to miss race 5. But their run of first place finishes held them firm with a hefty points advantage, to end the series with gold firmly in their hands. Silver to Matsuo/Miura.
International favourites from Argentina, Camilla Barletta/Macaela del Pero, after warming up on day 2, collected two second place finishes on the closing day of the Championship to take home Ladies Gold.
Speaking after racing, Barletta said, "The New Zealand training has been integral to our Youth World trial build up, and we are impressed by the strength of the Australian and New Zealand ladies teams."
A perfect win for Josh Berry/Haslett, and building on their domination of the 2016 New Zealand 420 Nationals where they claimed 10 wins from 12 races and a winning margin of 18 points after a 4 day regatta from 10-13 March.
The Oceania regatta of ten races was preceded by two days of intensive coaching. The NZ 420 Association arranged for Olympian Leslie Egnot to coach on Friday 3 June prior to the Yachting New Zealand Aon Clinic on Saturday 4 June with Ian Neely.
Yachting New Zealand Aon Fast Track coach James Turner, coached throughout the two day regatta.
Immense thanks are extended to sponsors The Water Shed, Aon and YNZ in additional also to NZ 420 Association race officials and MBSC race officer John Jennings.