Congratulations to Youth Sailing Academy sailors Finn Tapper, George Richardson, Cole Tapper and Jake Liddell, winners of the 2019 CentrePort International Youth Match Racing Regatta held at Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club 14-17 February. The win on Sunday was redemption day for Tapper, who after claiming the Regatta in 2017, was third in the following year, now re-taking his seat at the top.

The YSA team progressed well from a tough Round Robin 1 which saw them placed middle-of-the-pack in fourth with 5-2, behind recent Hardy Cup champion Nick Egnot-Johnson (7-0) and two other strong New Zealand teams. The YSA teams’ rise was evident from that point on though with Tapper claiming blitzing race in Round Robin 2, catapulting them to second overall with 12-2, behind Egnot-Johnson on 13-1.

With a string of great wins under their belt, the team went into the semi-finals confident, managing to beat Callum Radford 2-0 which sent them into the Final having only lost 2 of the 16 races of their Regatta. Competition was set to be fierce, however, as they were up against the team led by Egnot-Johnson who had slightly better results with 15 of 16 Regatta wins to their name.

True to form, the first-to-three-wins final was tit-for-tat, Egnot Johnson drawing first blood with Tapper returning serve with two great wins. In a potentially deciding match, Egnot-Johnson triumphed, pushing the Regatta to a final, winner-takes-all race. With true class, the YSA team held their own, taking the final race and the Regatta.

While the CentrePort International Youth Match Racing Regatta is now over for another year, the YSA’s New Zealand tour continues with the Nespresso International Youth Match Racing Championship at Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron 20-24 February. Good luck to our YSA team of Tom Grimes, Jess Tavener, Jess Grimes, George Richardson and Eric Sparkes!