The Port Ōhope Yacht Club held its annual King’s Birthday Regatta, attracting competitors from across the North Island.

The annual event, which has been a staple of Ōhope waters for more than 20 years, saw 39 competitors spread across five fleets and a variety of classes. Junior sailors competed in the Optimist and Open Skiff classes, while senior sailors raced in the Zephyr, ILCA 7 (formerly Laser), and ILCA 6 (formerly Laser Radial) classes.

Competitors travelled from Taupō, Tauranga, North Shore, Gisborne, Hamilton, and Raglan, while the Port Ōhope Yacht Club fielded 10 entries of its own, comprising five junior and five senior sailors.

Racing was held over Saturday and Sunday. Light winds of around five knots on Saturday made for challenging conditions, while Sunday delivered steady winds of 12 to 15 knots and fine weather, creating ideal sailing conditions.

Port Ōhope Yacht Club captain Graeme Tee was pleased with both the racing and the support the event received.

“Gary Smith from Tauranga assisted us with his expert guidance throughout all eight races, ensuring we had a smooth and competitive event,” said Tee.

Eastern Bay sailor Corrine Woolsey acquitted herself well, securing third place in the Optimist class behind sailors from North Shore and Tauranga.

Port Ōhope’s Ben Morton finished a close second in the Open Skiff class to a Gisborne competitor, while fellow club member Will Bresler claimed third place. Both sailors are graduates of the Port Ōhope Yacht Club junior sailing programme, with Will celebrating his first regatta victory by winning one of the races.

The Zephyr fleet consisted entirely of Tauranga sailors, with Hansie Eichholz taking top honours. The ILCA 6 class was won by Ben Williams of Cambridge Yacht Club, while Samir Kremer secured second place in the Starling class.

“The highlight for Port Ōhope Yacht Club was claiming first and second place in the ILCA 7 fleet, with top honours going to Barry Cutfield and Mark McIntosh finishing a close second. McIntosh excelled in the stronger winds on Sunday but was unable to reel in a dominant Cutfield,” said Tee.

The regatta also served as the third event in the Tasman Shield Series, a Bay of Plenty inter-club competition contested over regattas in Taupō, Tauranga, and Port Ōhope. The series is open to Masters ILCA sailors aged 35 and over, with competitors divided into various age categories.

Port Ōhope Yacht Club’s Masters sailors successfully retained the Tasman Shield following last year’s inaugural event, continuing the revival of the inter-club competition after a 20-year hiatus.