International 14 Worlds Preparation Takapuna Boating Club
by Colin Smith 31 Jan 2005 21:52 GMT
Final preparations are now in hand at the Takapuna Boating Club, North Shore, Auckland, for the forthcoming International 14 World Championships. This is the first time the Fourteens have been to New Zealand for this event, and the opportunity, following on from the amalgamation of the Australian and New Zealand 14 foot skiffs with the International class some years ago, had been enthusiastically taken. Some 80 boats are now in or on their way to Auckland, their crews looking forward to a fortnight's racing on the famous Hauraki Gulf.
With the current World Champion Rob Greenhalgh having retired into keelboats with a Volvo 70 campaign, a new champion is inevitable. And there are a number of very strong candidates.
For the US, Zach Berkowitz, runner-up in the last Worlds in Japan and the winner in Bermuda at the event before that, will be a strong contender sailing with Steve Bordeux, along with 2000 World Champions Kris Bundy and Jamie Hanseler. Watch out also for US National champions Ron Boehm and Pete Mohler following their usual “age before beauty” strategy...
From the UK, look out for expert 49er sailors Stevie Morrison with Ben Rhodes, and Alistair Richardson sailing with Ian Barker in the RMW “works boats”. James Fawcett and Dave Dobrijevic are already in Takapuna, having airfreighted their boat to maximize tuneup time in the UK and in Auckland. While others such as Mark Upton-Brown & Mike Pennock, Ian Pinnell & Tim Hancock, Archie Massey & George Nurton could also be ones to watch.
The Aussies are there in strength, with some 25 boats including previous World Champion Grant Geddes, Australian National champion Lindsay Irwin, Jason Beebe and David Hayter.
And the Kiwis themselves of course. Running the Worlds in Auckland has brought about a spate of new local boatbuilding, although some of the timing of the new boats may be a little tight… “She’ll be right” no doubt.
So it's all to play (or sail) for. The programme starts this weekend with the NZ Nationals being held as part of Sail Auckland, followed by the 14’s traditional inter-country team-racing World Championship (yes, they do team-race these things, have done since 1933, why stop now?) from the 8th to 10th, and then the individual worlds themselves from the 12th to the 19th. Stay tuned for regular updates as things progress….. Or keep an eye on the event website at www.takapunaboating.org.nz/Business/productsbusiness/productsbusiness.htm or the class site at www.i14.org