It was almost a clean sweep of the Zephyr National Championships for hosts Manly Sailing Club.
Club member Rod Dawson came in first, followed by Mark Orams of Torbay Sailing Club and Manly Sailing Club commodore Murray Thom third. Sean Herbert of Manly, who came in 8th, won the Andy Holland Youth Award.
A total of 69 boats took part, coming from all over New Zealand. It was held over four days, from Friday, April 9 to Monday, April 12 but the storm on Saturday and light winds on Monday meant there were effectively only two days of racing.
Conditions were the most exciting on the first day, with two metre swells and 24-knot winds, but one of the definitions of the word ‘zephyr’ is light winds and that was definitely felt on Sunday, when three knots and calm seas brought different challenges for the sailors.
Zephyrs are a sailing dinghy designed by the late Des Townson of Mahurangi.
Nationwide, there are 300 of these wooden 3.35m boats, now complemented by five new fibreglass versions built by MacKay Boat Builders of Silverdale.
At the prizegiving, Zephyr Owners Association president, Matt Mitchell of Manly thanked all the visiting sailors and said how good it was to see many young sailors getting into a class previously known as the domain of sailors aged 50-plus.
Principal race officer Harold Bennett of Gulf Harbour said he was pleased with the good spirit of the sailors, on and off the water, and that the class brought sailors of all ages and capabilities together.
