BMW Auckland regatta day 3. Image copyright Ivor Wilkins.
by Ivor Wilkins
Light air sailing skills were at a premium as the fleet of yachts competing in the 2011 BMW Auckland Regatta seldom saw the breeze move into double figures throughout the three day event.
BMW Auckland regatta day 3. Image copyright Ivor Wilkins.
Under normal circumstances, a three-day regatta in Auckland tests a wide range of skills as the city lives up to its four-seasons-in-a-day reputation. However, 2011 saw just summer heat and gentle breezes combine with unusually high tides to turn the regatta into a tactical chess game.
BMW Auckland regatta day 3. Image copyright Ivor Wilkins.
For the final day of racing, the yachts were sent on a scenic course around some of the islands of the inner Hauraki Gulf. Many yachts chose to hug the shorelines to either cut the corners or escape adverse tidal flows – and an unfortunate few paid the price by hitting the bottom. Embarrassment apart, none suffered any serious damage.
BMW Auckland regatta day 3. Image copyright Ivor Wilkins.
The BMW Auckland Regatta is jointly run by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Bucklands Beach Yacht Club. Sixty one yachts in seven divisions competed in the regatta.
BMW Auckland regatta day 3. Image copyright Ivor Wilkins.
The winners of BMW trophies, presented by National Sales and Marketing Manager Greg Hedgepeth, were:
A Div: Tirade
C Div: Boogie Flash
D Div: Crac-a-Jac
Farr 1020: Hard Labour
Open multihull: Triple Eight
8.5m multihull: Dirty Deeds
Y88: Danger Zone
For full results, please see the event website:
www.bmwaucklandregatta.co.nz
