Kwazulu Natal

Fully equipped, immaculate boat:

• ZOU HULL
• SPA’S & BAG – OPTIMAX M3 SPA’S & 45 mm RACING BOOM
• ZOU FOILS & BAG
• NORTH RADIAL SAIL
• TONI TIO TR3 SAIL
• PLASTIMO COMPASS
• ALL RIGGING
• 3 X RED BUOYANCY BAGS
• BOAT TOP AND BOTTOM ZOU COVERS
• BIG WHEEL DOLLY
• ORIGINAL MEASUREMENT BOOK

Price: R18 000.00

Contact: Lloyd McNeill - 082 9223754 or mcneill[at]iafrica.com

The hard working Optimist Class Association in Kwazulu Natal now has their own Optimist Blog for the region.

Have a look at Optimist Sailing KZN.

The KwaZulu Natal Optimist Class Association extends their congratulations to three of KZN's top Optimist sailors who were awarded their Provincial Youth Colours on the 7th of November 2008:

Well Done to James Leigh, Mathew McCaul and Michael McNeill

The full results from this past weekend's KZN Youth Provincial Championships Results:

Download the KZN Youth Provincial Championships Results (207 Kilobyte PDF)

The 2008/2009 Grand Prix Series got off to an early start in the KZN sailing calendar, being held on 30/31 August. The hosts Island Sailing Club set their course in the Maydon Channel of Durban Harbour and a fleet of 10 Optimists, 4 Mirrors and 12 Lasers competed in light to moderate north-easterly winds. 5 races were scored.

The parents of a number of sailors were treated to comfortable on-course viewing from the decks of Caversham Caprise with Richard Crockett at the helm.

The Optimist fleet was dominated by Matthew McCaul (PYC), fresh from his return from competing at the Mauritius Africans Regatta. McCaul won 4 of the 5 races, most of them comfortably in the lead. Ruben Heard (RBYC) was McCaul's closest competition, winning Race 2 and finishing 2nd in 3 other races. Trent Bingham (PYC) filled 3rd position with a 2nd and three 3rd places. The final race in the Optimist fleet proved the most exciting with the top 3 places rotating amongst these 3 sailors, with McCaul winning and Heard nosing ahead of Bingham on the line.

The next generation of KZN Optimist sailors made a good showing with an overall 6th place by Ross Gaughran (PYC) and a 4th place finish in the 5th race by Sam Bronner (PYC) adding to the excitement amongst the new order.

The Mirrors were lead around the course by the skillful Matthew Buckle (PYC) sailing single-handed. Buckle won all races and was in a class of his own. Euan Hurter (PYC) finished second overall closely followed by Georgia Marshall (PYC) with crew member Trevor Gibb.

There were 3 Standard Lasers with wins from all three sailors. JP Myburg (BYC) shone through to win the regatta closely followed by Lionel McCaul (parent) (PYC) and William Crockett (RNYC).

Racing in the Laser Radial fleet of 4 boats was won by Andy Gray (parent) (HMYC) with consistent performances from Ashley Nel (PYC) in 2nd place and Carl Zimmerman (PYC), who won the 1st race, finishing in 3rd place overall.

The Laser 4.7 fleet held positions for most of the regatta with Byron Gray (HMYC) a clear winner followed by Linsay Ferguson (ISC) and Kelton Bingham (PYC).

Source: by Kevin Bingham

Forthcoming events in the KZN Youth calendar are the KZN Youth Provincials to be held at Richards Bay Yacht Club on 3/4/5 October, followed by Grand Prix II at Henley Midmar Yacht Club 25/26 October.

Good winds and fair sailing

The first of the Grand Prix series hosted by the Island Sailing Club started the new KZN Youth Sailing season off in fine style. The hospitality was great and the turn out, despite many youth sailors writing trials, was good. Durban Bay's weekend weather was characterised by a moderate South Easter blowing a gusty 12-15 knots. Sunday midday saw the wind switch to the South West which ended the racing in gusts of 20 to 25 knots. The ISC race committee managed to get in 5 races allowing the competitors to discard their worst score.

The Optimist Class was dominated by Matthew McCaul (Highbury) who won four of the five races. Matthew has recently returned from sailing in The Netherlands and Belgium on the European circuit. Local boy Trent Bingham (Durban Prep) was chasing hard and managed to get second overall. Consistent sailor Matthew Gaughran (Highbury) took third place. In the Lasers, Island Sailing Club Linsay Ferguson (Durban Girls High) was 1st on the overnight leader board but was reeled in on Sunday by twin sisters Claire and Emma Walker from St Anne's. In the Laser Radials, very fit Paulo Marques (Kearsney) was almost untouchable in the stronger winds though hard on his heels was Maritzburg College sailor Stephen Wagner. Michaelhouse dominated the Laser full rig class and despite a spectacular capsize William Crockett (Michaelhouse) took overall honours.

RESULTS:
Optimist: 1st Matthew McCaul (Highbury), 2nd Trent Bingham (Durban Prep), 3rd Matthew Gaughran (Highbury), 4th Michael McNeill (Northlands), 5th Ruben Heard
(Hluhluwe Private School).
Laser 4.7: 1st Claire Walker (St Anne's) 2nd Emma Walker (St Anne's), 3rd Linsay Ferguson (Durban Girls High), 4th JP Myburgh (DHS), 5th Kelton Bingham (DHS).
Laser Radial: 1st Paulo Marques (Kearsney), 1st Stephen Wagner (Maritzburg College), 3rd Ken Renton (Michaelhouse, 4th David Horscroft (Michaelhouse).
Laser Std: 1st William Crockett (Michaelhouse), 2nd Simon Farrow (Michaelhouse), 3rd Robert Swanepoel (Michaelhouse), 4th Luke Vogelsang (Glenwood), 5th Nkosana Mpofu (Michaelhouse).

Full Results
Report By Rob Walker