Maersk Line Paper Tiger Internationals at Frankston Yacht Club
by Alex Craig 3 Apr 2018 21:36 BST
29 March - 2 April 2018
Paper Tiger Internationals - Day 1 © Adam Coe
The 2018 Maersk Line Paper Tiger Internationals were dominated by a strong New Zealand contingent, claiming all podium positions, and outsailing the Aussies to win the coveted team's trophy.
The event, hosted by Frankston Yacht Club in Victoria, Australia, saw a fleet of 48 boats take to the waters of Port Phillip Bay over the Easter long weekend.
Hayden Percy, from Napier Sailing Club in New Zealand, sailed an impressive regatta with six heat wins to be crowned 2018 International Champion. With outstanding boat speed in all conditions, Percy's success was driven by a refined rig setup, using a North Sail and stiffened mast, along with a dedicated training program leading up to the event.
The kiwi domination continued with Derek Scott and Dylan Taylor claiming second and third overall respectively. Greg Williams was the best placed Australian, finishing the series in fifth place overall.
This year's event saw a keen contingent of eight junior sailors represented in the fleet. Tom Maidment from New Zealand took home the Junior title, with Bailey Hord from Australia keeping the pressure on to finish second. Both sailors finished in the top 20 of the open fleet, and will be ones to watch in the future!
The event was made possible by Maersk Line, who generously shipped the 20 boat New Zealand Team to Melbourne for the event. Supporting sponsors included Permex, Bluestreak Sail Battens, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Ronstan and Redhead Sails.
The Paper Tiger class continues to provide a great social atmosphere and affordable racing, with half of the top 10 boats, including the winner, home built by their skippers. Professionally made boats are available through Australian Fibreglass Composites.
The 2019 event will be held over Easter at Napier Sailing Club, New Zealand.
Video by Stephen Brayshaw
www.papertigercatamaran.org