Please select your home edition
Edition
Vaikobi 2024 December

Sellers win NZ Nationals, Practice race in Worlds blown out

by Suellen Davies/Int. Tornado Association 4 Jan 2019 10:02 GMT 4 January 2019
Racing in the NZ Tornado Nationals presented by Candida Stationery - January 2019 © Int. Tornado Assoc

Rex and Brett Sellers win NZ Nationals from a fleet of 16 boats and 9 races over three days with very shifty and gusty winds coming off the beach between 12 and 24knots.

The regatta was a preliminary event for the 2019 World Tornado Championship presented by Candida Stationery to be sailed from Takapuna Beach.

Former Olympic Gold and Silver medalist Rex Sellers (NZL) crewed by his son Brett, won the NZ national title in the regatta organised by Takapuna Boating Club. In second position the Windrush team Brett Burvill and Max Max Puttman from Australia came very close to taking the title with four wins, but had a a jib track break in the last race.

In third place overall Jörg Steiner and Michael Gloor Swiss team, who were very consistent.

Zdenek Pavlis and Michaela Michaela Pavliová were the top Mixed crew with Estela Jentsch and Daniel Brown in second place. Ely Warren and Winton Winston Ordish-Benner were the third overall Mixed crew.

Friday 4th January was scheduled to be the Practice Race for the 2019 Tornado World Championships presented by Candida Stationery, however with 30 knots blowing across the race course, the boats never left the shore.

Race Officer Megan Kensington made the decision at 1300 hours with the backing of the International Class President Jurgen Jentsch from Germany.

"We are going to fly AP over A today. There is just too much breeze to safely race," said Kensington.

Jentsch backed this up agreeing that it wasn't worth breaking gear in the fierce conditions this early into the regatta.

The regatta was opened with a traditional Maori blessing before the waters from each nation competing where offered to the Waitemata Harbour. Seven countries are being represented at this regatta. Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, USA and New Zealand.

Official racing in the World Championship starts on Saturday 5th January from 1300 hours with two races scheduled.

The 2019 Tornado World Championships is being hosted by Takapuna Boating Club in Auckland, New Zealand and is powered by Candida Stationery.

Related Articles

Tornado Europeans in Quiberon
Yoann Trécul and Thomas Ferrand retain the title Yoann Trécul and Thomas Ferrand have once again proven their dominance in the Tornado class, securing the 2024 European Championship title in the familiar waters of Quiberon, France. Posted on 29 Sep
The oldest footage of Tornado racing
A look back into our video archive We delve into the past, and round-up all videos which show sailing in the Tornado class of catamaran. Posted on 12 May
Oldest videos of racing catamarans
We start in 1965, covering Hobie, Shearwater, Prindle and C Class, then the Worrell 1000 We delve into the past, and round-up all the videos which show racing catamarans, including Hobie cats, Shearwaters, Prindles and C Class, from the 1960s to the 90s. Plus some Worrell 1000 history. Posted on 7 Apr
UK Tornado Nationals 2023 at Minnis Bay
Unseasonably warm and fine weather for the end of September Minnis Bay Sailing Club hosted the 2023 Tornado Nationals in unseasonably warm and fine weather for the end of September. Seven Tornados rigged up on Saturday morning and waited for the wind to appear. Posted on 4 Oct 2023
Tornado Europeans at Achensee, Tyrol, Austria
A total of 25 sailors from 8 different nations came to compete for the title From July 18th to 22nd the European Championship in the boat class Tornado took place at the picturesque Achensee in Tyrol, Austria. Posted on 25 Aug 2023
Solent Forts Race 2023
Part of the Allen Endurance Series The Solent Forts Race is an annual long-distance event for catamarans and other high performance boats, run by Hayling Ferry Sailing Club from their base at the entrance to Langstone Harbour. Posted on 17 Jun 2023
Tornado Worlds at La Grande-Motte overall
Only one race possible on the final day Yesterday, Saturday September 3rd, two races were scheduled. Unfortunately, the wind conditions meant that only one race could be run before 3pm. As explained in the previous press release, no start could be made after this time. Posted on 4 Sep 2022
Tornado Worlds at La Grande-Motte day 4
Only one race was run Friday 09/2/2022, only one race was run today out of the 2 planned. Posted on 3 Sep 2022
Tornado Worlds at La Grande-Motte day 3
Two more races held at La Grande Motte Still under the direction of the President of the International Race Committee Paul Bastard, two more races on the program for the third day of the Tornado World Championships. Posted on 30 Aug 2022
Tornado Worlds at La Grande-Motte day 1
30 cats from 10 different nationalities taking part Since this Saturday, August 27, the YCGM is organizing the Tornado Worlds. This former Olympic Catamaran class is honoured this year in La Grande-Motte. About thirty boats are present at the club and among them, more than 10 different nationalities. Posted on 30 Aug 2022