New Zealand International Optimist Dinghy Association

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There were perfect winds of 10-18knots on Saturday at Murrays Bay for the Inter Club Teams racing Championship.  Eleven teams took part in the event including teams from Napier, Tauranga, Glendowie, Kohi and Murrays Bay. The teams where split into two courses for the morning racing with each team given a colour.  Most impressive was Team Pink from Kohi where Eliza had a fluorescent pink rash vest and I’m sure I saw a pink band around Williams head!
Both courses sailed a round robin in the morning before coming in for lunch. In the afternoon the teams where split into Gold and Silver courses to complete another round robin.  As exciting as the racing was, the 6 Orca whales jumping and diving through the start lines on both courses stole the show hands down in the afternoon. After all the round robins where completed we progressed in to semi finals.
Tauranga 2 went 2 nil up on Murrays Bay 2 to secure a spot in the finals. Kohi had a much harder time claiming their spot in the finals with a 2-1 victory over Tauranga 1, which they won by less than a boat length on the finish of the final race. Murrays Bay 2 won 3rd place over Tauranga One 2-1 in the semi final. 
In the finals Tauranga 2 dominated and went 2 up on Kohi to be the first team since 2003 to win the interclub Teams racing event from Murrays Bay. All  in all, a very exciting day for everyone. The standard of racing never ceases to amaze me as the teams racing constantly reachs higher levels. We can look forward to some very close and intense racing at the Nationals. Thanks to all the Volunteers and Umpires (George, Alex, Alex, Erica, Amber and Brad) for their help.

Results

1st Tauranga - Trent Rippey, Cole Rippey, Jacob Miller, Isaac McHarpie
2^nd Kohi - William Linkhorn, Eliza Wilkinson, Alex Wotton, Jessica Allen
3^rd Murrays Bay - Liam Closey, Alex Burrow, Sam Beckman, Cameron Hughes
4^th Tauranga - Liam Merton, Zak Merton, Andrew Frazer-McKenzie, Simon Frazer-McKenzie
5^th Murrays Bay
6^th Murrays Bay
7^th Napiar
8^th Napiar
9^th Murrays Bay
10^th Murrays Bay
11^th Glendowie

Report by Susannah Pyatt