The winners. Image copyright Stu Clarke.
by Sara Tucker
Women’s Keelboat Racing veteran Leslie Egnot has won the 2011 New Zealand Women’s Keelboat Championships. Egnot and her ‘Team North Sails’ crew of Jenny Clarke , Keryn McMaster, Kylie Jameson, Felicity Lind-Mitchell, Sara Tucker & Amy Batchelor won the event which ended up consisting of just the minimum six races.
Danielle Bowater (RNZYS) finished in second place overall just 1 point behind Egnot and Samantha Osborne (RNZYS) finished 3rd overall.
The championship was last held in 2009 when the RNZYS team helmed by Jessica Smyth won the series which was sailed out of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club in their fleet of Platus. After a year’s break Tom Macky, on behalf of the MRX Owners Association, put in a bid to run the event in the Farr MRXs. Yachting New Zealand granted Macky approval and with the support of the RNZYS and many emails to ‘prospective ladies’ the dates were set.
Over 14 teams registered their interest and eventually 9 teams, each consisting of 7 women, entered. There were 8 teams from Auckland and 1 team from the Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club helmed by Holly Farmer.
RNZYS
