Oceanbridge Sail Auckland - Day 3

Day three at 2016 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland brought champagne sailing conditions across the Hauraki Gulf as all the Paralympic, Olympic and Invited classes took to the water and enjoyed some great racing.

Jack Simpson and Logan Dunning Beck (pictured above) look set to secure the 49er victory. After winning all their races in today's breezy conditions they're now nine points clear of second placed Ryo (Leonard) Takahashi and Ibuki Koizumi who are representing Japan, with Isaac McHardie and Trent Rippey just one point further back in 3rd.

After racing Takahashi described the day; "There was a lot more breeze today, it picked up in the afternoon, it was good racing out there."

On their performance today he said; "We got a 3rd and three 2nds so that's pretty good. Our goal is just to go out there and do the best that we can and I think we did that today, so happy with that."

When asked what the most difficult thing about today was, Takahashi said, "The 49er is pretty hard to handle in the breeze so I think we just try and keep our boat going fast and make no mistakes."

He is looking forward to more good racing to wrap up the regatta; "I think tomorrow is going to be more breeze, so I think we'll take the same approach as today. Just come down, go out and do the best that we can."

"Sailing off Murrays Bay Sailing Club is pretty awesome as well, and conditions have turned it on, so I'm just enjoying sailing out there with everyone else. It's what it's all about!"

Sam Meech still leads the Laser fleet, with NZL Sailing team-mate Andy Maloney climbing up to 2nd overall after today's racing. Singapore's Colin Cheng holds 3rd overall with one day remaining.

NZL Sailing Team's Alex Maloney and Molly Meech are well out in front in the 49erFX, but they didn't have it all their own way today with Erica Dawson and Ellie Copeland, from Yachting New Zealand's Aon Fast Track Squad, finishing ahead of their senior counterparts in the final race of the day.

Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders lead from Olivia Mackay and Micah Wilkinson in the Nacra multihull racing.

Speaking after racing today Saunders says they enjoyed more close racing; "It was a good day, we had some good racing with the young guys again, in the first race they beat us and we had some good close racing and the breeze built nicely in the afternoon so I think we got some good sailing in. We're pretty happy with how it's going."

Both Jones and Saunders, and Mackay and Wilkinson have only just returned to New Zealand after the 2016 Nacra 17 World Championships in Miami.

Saunders explains what he likes most about Oceanbridge Sail Auckland, "Seeing all the younger kids sailing, all the youths, they've got some great fleets here in the 49er and the 420 and it's pretty cool to watch them out there racing, and also to hopefully show them what the Nacra is like. They don't get many opportunities to see a Nacra and we really want people to sail the Nacra in the future. It's a good stepping stone for them first to see us out there and from there hopefully actually get into it themselves."

In the 29er racing Jackson Keon and Tom Fyffe, from the Murrays Bay Sailing Club, clearly enjoyed the breezy conditions and showed they know this race track well. They extended their lead on the fleet, and are 14 points ahead of Lewis Anderson and Pat Morgan (Kohimarama Yacht Club) who have climbed up to 2nd overall after today.

Crystal Sun and Zelda Ladefoged, also from Kohimarama Yacht Club are the top placed girls in the 29er, lying 7th overall.

Only one point separates the top three in the Laser Radial and still features one men's, one women's and one youth representative showing just how close the racing among the fleet. Scott Leith has surpassed Susannah Pyatt after today's racing, but both Pyatt and George Gautrey are just one point adrift. It's all on for tomorrow!

Meanwhile, in provisional results from the 420 class, Josh Berry and Henry Haslett still have the lead, and Xanthe Copeland and Kerensa Jennings, lying 3rd overall, are the top girls crew.

Rick Dodson, Andrew May and Chris Sharp continued their clean track record winning all three races against John Weston today and extending their lead in the Sonar class. The Paralympic campaigners now have nine wins from nine races.

Also racing form Fairway Bay on the Whangaparoa Peninsula the nine-boat Hansa Liberty fleet enjoyed another three races today. There is no change to the top three with Sarah Dunckley retaining her lead with a couple of race wins and a 2nd place today.

The OK Dinghy fleet kicked off at 2016 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland today featuring a strong showing of the Wakatere Boating Club fleet that enjoys regular racing a little further down the east coast bays.

Ben Morrison was dominant today taking three wins from three races sailed out performing the rest of the fleet on day one. Olympic medallist for New Zealand Rod Davis lies 2nd, and Russell Wood is 3rd.

The Flying 15 fleet also got underway today and Adrienne Rekke and Craig Coulam from RAYC took three wins from three races to lead going into day two.

2016 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland wraps up tomorrow on Sunday 28th February.

To see the full results and follow the action head to sailauckland.org.nz