North Harbour's Nathan Soper wins P Class Tanner Cup at Tauranga - Day 2
by Gary Smith 5 Jan 00:27 PST
4-9 January 2024
Nathan Soper (MBSC/CBYC/QCSC) representing North Harbour, dominated the 2024 Coombes Johnston BMW Tanner Cup, winning three of the six races.
A very light glassed out harbour, greeted the 21 sailors for the 11.00 am start on Day 2.
The fickle breeze kicked in around 12.00 and the sailors were sent out on to the Tauranga Harbour, where three races were sailed.
We also got to meet Pauline Tanner, the granddaughter of George Tanner who donated the trophy in 1945 in memory of two of his sons who died in WW2. George was a very keen sailor from Wellington.
It was another day of some sailors getting it right or very wrong. At the first mark of Race 4 Aaron Begic (P22) led the fleet around chased by Nathan Sopher(P373).
With the chasing fleet often holding one another up and fleet spread out a little. Aaron was second to Oli Stone (P75). However Oli subsequently took a Scoring Penalty to be relegated to 8 points. Sopher finished third.
Race 5 and the northerly wind was again light. By this time we also had a little drizzle to keep the sailors hydrated. The Kaimai Ranges disappeared into the gathering rain. Again Aaron Begic (P22) lead around the first mark. However this time Nathan Sopher (P373) and Oli Stone (P75) were able to overtake him and finished first and second respectively.
The rain and a brief 100 degrees shift to the SW and 12 knots of breeze, gave hope to some of the heavier sailors. However the fickle Tauranga Breeze was not finished yet. Another shift back to the NW, had the mark layers working hard shifting the marks again.
Race 6 was another light race and after two General Recalls the fleet drifted up to the top mark with the tide now turning to run out. Nathen Sopher led around the one lap course, as the fleet was shortened to finish at the bottom mark. Oli Stone was second in this race, too.
The final day was subject to a couple of protests, and the final result was in limbo for an hour or so.
Congratulations to Nathan Sopher for winning the Tanner Cup for 2024. Oli Stone, the defending champion was second, and Arthur Rebbeck third.
Tomorrow is the measuring for the Tauranga Cup (The Open NZ National Champs for P Class) with racing for this starting on Sunday.
Tomorrow afternoon is the Centenary Race for the one off trophy, this will be followed by a Fathers/Mothers/Coaches/Supporters race. (I got some practice in today in P51!!)
Tanner Cup Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Yacht Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 373 | Nathan Soper | MBSC/CBYC/QCSC | 1 | ‑11 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 2nd | 75 | Oli Stone | KYC | 2 | ‑8 | 2 | SCP | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| 3rd | 30 | Arthur Rebbeck | WBC | ‑6 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 18 |
| 4th | 22 | Arran Begic | Murrays Bay SC | 10 | 2 | ‑21 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 23 |
| 5th | 33 | Ashton Cooke | WBC | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | ‑16 | 6 | 23 |
| 6th | 40 | Finloe Gaites | Murrays Bay SC | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 8 | (UFD) | 28 |
| 7th | 308 | Hamish Brown | WBC/MBSC | 3 | ‑12 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 29 |
| 8th | 404 | Callum Hyde | WBC / MBSC | ‑18 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 32 |
| 9th | 888 | Nelsen Meacham | WBC | 14 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 7 | (UFD) | 42 |
| 10th | 993 | Callum Noyer | WBC | 8 | 9 | 10 | ‑17 | 9 | 9 | 45 |
| 11th | 10 | Hugo Smith | KYC/WBC/RAYC | 11 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 10 | (UFD) | 52 |
| 12th | 565 | Tony Li | KYC/MBSC | ‑19 | 6 | 15 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 56 |
| 13th | 899 | Mila Blundell | Charteris Bay YC | 12 | ‑14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 56 |
| 14th | 989 | Bella Jenkins | KYC | 7 | 13 | 14 | 15 | ‑20 | 10 | 59 |
| 15th | 339 | Molly Percy | Plimmerton Boating Club | 9 | 17 | 19 | 13 | 11 | (UFD) | 69 |
| 16th | 51 | Thomas Linklater | TYPBC | 16 | 15 | 12 | ‑18 | 14 | 12 | 69 |
| 17th | 752 | Caelan Taylor | Worser Bay/Plimmerton | 17 | ‑21 | 11 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 82 |
| 18th | 853 | Vincent Scott | TYPBC | 13 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 15 | (SCP) | 82 |
| 19th | 219 | Felix Carter | TYPBC | 21 | 16 | 20 | 9 | 17 | (UFD) | 83 |
| 20th | 181 | Lucy Luxford | Charteris Bay YC | ‑20 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 11 | 83 |
| 21st | 612 | Luca Blundell | Charteris Bay YC | 15 | 18 | 17 | ‑21 | 21 | 13 | 84 |
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