P Class: PredictWind Tauranga Cup - Leaders confounded by Alphabet scores - Day 2
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 8 Jan 13:05 GMT
Blake Batten (722) and Lauchy Wills (37) do battle - Day 2 - PredictWind Tauranga Cup - January 8, 2026 - Kohimarama Yacht Club © Suellen Hurling / Live Sail Die for PredictWind
Alphabet scores look set to play a big part in determining the outcome of the 83rd Tauranga Cup being sailed from Kohimarama Yacht Club.
Blake Batten (Murrays Bay SC), the leader after three races were sailed on Day 1, incurred a scoring penalty in the first race of the day after acknowledging fault following an arbitration hearing. That was one of four protests lodged on Day 2, three of those between the top two on the leaderboard after Race 3, and clearly the weren't following the maxim of most top sailors, which is to stay out of the protest room.
Hamish Brown (Wakatere BC) the second placegetter on the overnight points table, was disqualified after a protest hearing, following a complaint which he lodged against Blake Batten following Race 6, the third race of the day, claiming contact between Battens' boat and his body. In a complex case both sailors were found to have broken rules, however Batten was exonerated under the provisions of RRS43.
Even with the sailors being able to discard their worst score, now that five races have been sailed, Brown dropped back to third overall.
Both sailors have let Lauchy Wills (Glendowie BC) come back into the final points picture. Wills staged a big move up the leaderboard on the final day of the Tanner Cup, earlier in the week, and is clearly up for a big performance, when the occasion requires.
He showed his ability under pressure again today, sailing in another 15-25kt SW breeze that freshened later in the day. Wills finished fifth in today's first race - backing that up with a first and third place in the next two races.
The top three have moved out to an advantage of over 9pts from fourth placed Luca Blundell (Charteris Bay YC) on 25pts, with Caleb Perano (Charteris Bay YC) and Hugh Kensington (Kohimarama YC) in fifth and sixth placing on 31 and 32pts respectively.
Going into the third and final day, there will be plenty of pressure both in the points table, as well as on the water, with the SW breeze again expected to visit the Waitemata Harbour. On Friday it is expected to be a little lighter, but still gusting to 22kts - making the final day a test of boathandling and tactical ability. None of the top six can indulge in match racing scrap, and risking an on the water penalty or an alphabet score.
Greta Hutton (Murrays BC SC) is top female skipper, and leading contender for the Naomi James Challenge Trophy, named after Dame Naomi James (NZL) the first woman to sail single-handed around the world. Hutton is in seventh place overall, with a handy 9pt margin over Fiona Stevens (Glendowie BC). 2026 Tanner Cup winner, Zofia Wells (Glendowie BC) had the misfortune to break another stay, and scored her second DNF of the series, in the first race of the day, and will be counting an alphabet score in her final pointscore come Friday afternoon.
For full results: www.sailwave.com/results/KYC/PClassTaurangaCup2026.htm
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