RNZYS crew of Frewin, Liefting and Lloyd win Centreport Youth International
by Paul Davies 16 Jun 04:54 PDT
16 June 2024
2024 Centreport Youth International Match Racing Championship - Wellington - June 2024 © Wellington Youth Sailing Trust
Over Kings Birthday in Wellington Jack Frewin and his Team of Oliver Lloyd and Eli Liefting stamped their mark the fleet to win the 2024 CentrePort Youth International Match Racing Championships run by the Wellington Youth Sailing Trust.
In his last full year in Youth Match Racing Frewin took out the final over Albert Stanley and his crew from Wellington 3-0, but he didn’t have it all his own way.
After the Round Robin was interrupted on Day 2 with winds of over 40kts cancelling sailing, it was fellow RNZYS sailor Ethan Fong who came out on top with a perfect 7-0 scorecard.
Fong surprised many by picking third ranked Stanley in the first of the semi-finals, ultimately paying the price against the ever-improving Wellingtonian – losing 3-1. Frewin easily dispatched Hayden Smith (RNZYS) to set up what many expected to be the series final.
Frewin and his team showed their training over the last two years had paid off, but clinically dispatching Stanley – who by his own admission was “rusty as” after not sailing since moving to Wanaka nearly three years ago. Stanley was still ‘stoked’ to be back sailing in his home waters, made even better by sailing with younger brother Wilbur in the event.
Eight teams were welcomed from New Zealand and Australia to battle it out on the water from Thursday, 30 May to Monday, 3 June, for the 21st anniversary of the event supported by CentrePort – Wellington's own port company. Racing took place immediately outside the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club opposite the Port’s HQ – the perfect “Wellington back paddock” for this iconic event.
As well as the top four teams, sailors also came from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and were joined from the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club in Picton.
At the Monday prize giving, sailors, family and friends were joined by CentrePort CE Anthony Delaney who proudly recognised the longstanding relationship between CentrePort, the Trust and the RPNYC.
Final Placings:
1. Jack Frewin - Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
2. Albert Stanley - Wellington Youth Scheme Trust
3. Ethan Fong - Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
4. Hayden Smith - Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
5. Craig Wright - Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
6. Rory Sims - Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
7. Emily Overend – Queen Charlotte Yacht Club
8. Sam Streeter - Wellington Youth Scheme Trust
Full results:click here