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An experienced international field of board sailors is racing on Auckland waters this weekend.
The Windsurfer Waiheke Interdominion, organised by New Zealand board-sailing legend and Howick Local Board member Bruce Kendall, is a “50 per cent sailing, 50 per cent fun” competition from this Friday to next Monday.
The regatta will be based at Waiheke Island with most of the sailing courses there, apart from on the first day Friday when the fleet of 22 board sailors will race from Bucklands Beach to Oneroa Beach.
“This event is to challenge the Australian and Pacific nation Windsurfer LT sailors to show the New Zealand Windsurfer LT sailors how they compare on an international level,” says Kendall, the two-time Olympic Games medallist in windsurfing.
“The Australian Windsurfer LT fleet has multiple world champions dating back to the 1970s through to the 2023/2024 Windsurfer LT World Championships in Perth.
“New Zealand sailors will not have raced or trained here [Waiheke] before which removes a local knowledge advantage.
“Waiheke Island’s beaches and surrounding islands are ideal for long distance races.”
Kendall says the Windsurfer Waiheke Interdominion has destination races, team sailing, course racing, slalom, and freestyle.
He’s looking forward to having the windsurfers from across New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the United States in Auckland for the special regatta, a chance to catch up with long-time friends and opponents, while also mixing it with younger up-and-coming sailors.
The first race to commence the Interdominion starts at midday on Friday, March 21, at Bucklands Beach, heading to Oneroa.
There’ll be course racing at Oneroa from 10am on day two, Saturday, March 22, while on Sunday, March 23, the course is from Oneroa to Man O’ War Bay.
On Monday, March 24, racing will again be at Oneroa, with competition prize-giving at 6pm.
Kendall says all competitors will be weighed at registration on Friday and the fleet divided equally into three weight divisions.
As well as the individual events, there’s also a Nations competition, with racers in the fleet making up the international teams.
“The Interdominion Championship will be decided from the best results from each nation of each of the weight and age divisions and include the team sailing result,” Kendall says.
He adds that as well as the fun and excitement factor, Windsurfer LT is the most cost-effective class of small craft on the market, “and is super affordable”.
The entrants for the Windsurfer Waiheke Interdominion are:
New Zealand: Bruce Kendall, Alan Mcintosh, Matthew Mcintosh, Audrey Peratt, Claudio Barbuzza, Doug Ferguson, Stijn Tissink, Lloyd Perratt.
Australia: Martin French, Stuart Gilbert, Michael Dupé, Richard Atkinson, Matty Whitnall, Richard Stewart, Ron Garner, Philip Bratter, Allan Jamal, Steve Newman, Josh Green, Sham Watkins.
Japan: Kazuaki Sanada. United States: Tim Ebling.
- For more information about the Windsurfer Waiheke Interdominion, see https://windsurferlt-nz.org/events/id-2025/
- For an earlier Times story about Bruce Kendall’s Windsurfer LT events, read: https://www.times.co.nz/news/kendall-pioneers-board-sailing-events/
