Tauranga yachties superb hosts of Hansa champs

The New Zealand Hansa National Championship Regatta Committee is heaping praise on the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club for  being a superb host.

The shout-out follows the New Zealand Hansa Class National Championship on March 29-31. The regatta caters for disabled and able people who sail as equals.

Regatta chairman Peter Dallimore reports:

Tauranga turned on good sailing conditions with wind and tide in the same direction and sufficient wind, with gusts up to 18 knots.

Rain preceded and followed some of the racing but did not dampen spirits. Eight races were programmed and eight races were sailed. There were 20 entries from Wellington to Auckland.

The Liberty National Champion is Tony Vaka from Auckland, closely followed by Daryl Smith from Wellington.

Doubles champions

The 303 Singles National Champion is our own Sailability Tauranga skipper Paulien Chamberlain closely followed by John Williams, a Wellington Sailability Trustee.

The 303 Doubles National Champions are our own Sailability Tauranga crew Caleb Evans and Alistair Eagleson, closely followed by Christina Hansen and Rhonda Ritchie, also from Sailability Tauranga.

The Kiwi Cup, which is awarded to the disabled person with the lowest score when the Liberty and 303 Singles Classes are combined, was won by Tony Vaka. Our congratulations to them all.

Our Tauranga Sailability sailors were Paulien Chamberlain (303 Singles) and Tom Scott (Liberty). Our Sailors in the 303 Doubles were Devlin Proctor, Caleb Evans, Christina Hansen, Dennis Young and Alice Eminson, assisted by skippers Alistair Eagleson, Rhonda Ritchie, Ian Ritchie, Peter Decke, Richard Miller, Peter ward and Stu Keat.

What a great showing from the Tauranga locals.

Special thanks must go to the team at the club; Lynne, Ada, Tracey and Jo for their warm reception of the contestants and ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude. We are so grateful to Jo for standing in for our chef Ken who was away. Jo turned on a magnificent buffet on Friday night for the members, the contestants and their supporters. There were more than 60 people in the club that night.

Barbecue team

We are grateful to the Sailability Tauranga barbecue team who, with the help of the Duncan & Ebbett barbecue trailer, masterminded the beautiful selection of food, cooked to perfection on Saturday evening. Organised by Bill and Laura Whitiskie and Barbara Dallimore, salads were provided by Amelia de Ridder, Myrna Mitchinson, Rhonda Ritchie, Anne Wise, Alison Kehely and Sherry Anderson. The Duncan & Ebbett barbecue was manned by Alison and Sherry.

The NZ Hansa Class National Championship Regatta was part of the 2019 Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport organised by Parafed Bay of Plenty, under the brilliant guidance of chair Bryce McFall and his team led by Claudia West. We are privileged to have been part of their festival and very much appreciate their help and financial support.

The Parafed Bay of Plenty, Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport Awards Dinner was also held on the Saturday night. Sailability Tauranga had five award nominees: Paulien Chamberlain, Caleb Evans, Devlin Proctor, Alice Eminson and Coach Alistair Eagleson.

Alistair Eagleson received the Tauranga City Council Coach of the Year Award. What a well-deserved recognition for the man who so successfully leads our sailing, racing and coaching activities and chairs the Sailability Tauranga Charitable Trust meetings.

Our Organisation, TYPBC Club Members include the On the Water Team, led competently by Bill Whitiskie and our Shore Team led capably by Darryl McManus. Our Kitchen Team - Laura Whitiskie, Barbara Dallimore and Judy Eagleson - did an excellent job. Our Sailability Tauranga Sailing Team is led successfully by Alistair Eagleson. They made the regatta the success it was and we have already received a number of very positive accolades. What a great club the TYPBC is.

Sound buoys pioneering

National contests require considerable organisation and we were assisted by many TYPBC and Sailability Tauranga Volunteers. Grateful thanks to the regatta committee, Bill Whitiskie our OD, Bill Mitchinson, Paulien and Richard Chamberlain and Alistair Eagleson (sec).

Richard and Paulien, aided by Gary Smith were responsible for the pioneering construction of the sound buoys which, as they are developed, will be a ground breaking aid, nationally if not worldwide, for sailors who are vision impaired.

Joint TYPBC/Sailability Tauranga Volunteers: Bill and Laura Whitiskie, Bill and Myrna Mitchinson, Rhonda and Ian Ritchie, Alistair and Judy Eagleson, Paulien and Richard Chamberlain, Peter and Barbara Dallimore, Richard Burling, Alec McNaull, Hank Hodge, Jimmy Gilpin, James Stewart, Natalie Burt, Dave Peet, John Buck, John Hubner, Richard Miller, Bob Wise.

TYPBC Members who volunteered their time to help; Commodore Andy Knowles, Warren Belk, Gary and Leanne Smith, Richard Dent, John Burns, Roger Rushton,  Lyn and Bob Smyth, Tina Kennedy, Anne Wise, Richard Dent, Roger Clark, Murray de Lues, Debbie Denney, Braedyn Denny, Kerrie Rippey, Anne Marie Mouat, Darryl McManus, Steve Wagstaff, Ian Watson

Sailability Volunteers; Brian Clark, Mike Manuel, Alison Kehely, Amelia de Ridder, Jane Cope, Ricque Shadbolt, Peter Ward, Stu Keat, Sherry Anderson, Tim Lip, Tom Wain.

Finally, a big thank you to our sponsors: Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport, Steve’s Marine Supplies, Burnsco, Burton Sails and BDO Tauranga.

Grateful thanks to all, apologies to anyone who has been missed, you are all very much appreciated.

The Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club and Sailability Tauranga both need volunteers of all capabilities to assist them to provide the opportunity for people of all abilities to sail. If you enjoy water-based activities and would like to give back they would welcome your interest.

Contact details are on their websites, just Google ‘Sailability Tauranga and TYPBC’. We look forward to meeting you.


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