Elliott 5.9 Association

2025 Traveller Series #3 - Whitianga

6/8/2025

Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series Regatta: Close Racing and Camaraderie in WhitiangaThe third Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series regatta was held on July 26th and 27th in Whitianga, bringing a small but highly competitive fleet to the beautiful Mercury Bay. Race Officer Phil Hart and his team of volunteers from the Mercury Bay Boating Club had an easy task setting the course, thanks to a steady northeasterly wind that provided excellent sailing conditions over both days.
Day One: Tight Competition on Buffalo BeachSaturday's racing took place in a consistent 10-14 knot breeze, with the wind coming from 50 degrees off Buffalo Beach. The day's racing was dominated early on by RnR, helmed by Craig Satterthwaite, with his daughter Gretel and Nathan Williams. They claimed victory in the first two races.

Race 1: RnR finished first, followed by Class President Stu Clark's Slam Dunk crew (Stu Bettany and Cam Horne) in second, and Dave Cochran's Zoot Allures in third.
Race 2: A general recall led to a restart, but the outcome was similar. RnR won by over a minute, with Slam Dunk just holding off Zoot Allures for second and third, respectively.

The next races saw the competition heat up. Slam Dunk took the win in the third race, followed by the Napier crew on Bloodline (Gavin Earle, Gareth Howard, and Dave Plowman), with RnR finishing third.
The fourth race was a highlight for the younger sailors, with the four-person crew on Nyx taking the win. The crew, led by Ollie Davidson, had a dramatic Friday night, dropping their mast and breaking the rudder stock during rigging. A number of class members rallied to help with repairs, ensuring they could get on the water for the weekend. Slam Dunk finished second and Bloodline third. Unfortunately, Zoot Allures, which had been leading at the first top mark, broke its gooseneck and was forced to retire for the rest of the day.
RnR bounced back to win the final two races of the day, with Bloodline securing second in both. Dirty Circus rounded out the podium in the sixth race.
At the end of Saturday, the standings were: RnR on 6 points, Slam Dunk on 10 points, and Bloodline on 14 points (with a dropped race).
The evening concluded with a class dinner at Grace O'Malleys, where sailors enjoyed a slideshow of photos and drone footage from the day's racing, captured by Helen Hart.
Day Two: A Change of Scenery and a Tight FinishSunday's racing moved to Cooks Beach to minimize the effect of the outgoing tide. The wind was a lighter 5-10 knots from 30 degrees. Zoot Allures was back on the water after repairing its gooseneck overnight, as was the young crew on Class Act, who also had to make repairs to their gooseneck.

Race 7: RnR took another win, with Zoot Allures and Dirty Circus coming in second and third.
Race 8: Slam Dunk claimed the win, followed by RnR and Bloodline.

The mood was lighthearted between races, with some on-water antics entertaining the fleet.
RnR continued its strong performance, winning race nine, followed by Bloodline and Dirty Circus. The final race of the regatta, race ten, was the closest of the entire weekend, with very tight margins across the fleet. Zoot Allures showed impressive recovery, moving from seventh around the top mark to finish third, behind RnR (first) and Slam Dunk (second).
Final Results and Looking AheadThe regatta concluded with RnR as the clear winner, finishing with 12 points. Slam Dunk secured second place with 21 points, and Bloodline took third with 32 points. The battle for the remaining spots was incredibly close: Dirty Circus - 42 points Zoot Allures - 43 points (despite carrying two DNCs) Class Act - 45 points Nyx - 46 points Razorback - 67 points
The prize-giving wrapped up by 2 p.m., allowing everyone to get home at a reasonable time.
If you are interested in joining this competitive on-water and sociable off-water class, there are currently two good boats for sale on Trade Me.
The next regatta is to be held at Opua 13 -1 4 September.

2025 Traveller Series #2 - Marsden Cove

6/8/2025

Craig Satterthwaite, sailing with his daughter Gretel and Richard Bearda (Bart), went through with two bullets in the last two races to win at Marsden Cove Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series.

Over the weekend, three different crews held the lead in the regatta.

Racing on Saturday was held in Bream Bay with a shifting breeze and flat water.
The first race was in a light 5 knot westerly. Slam Dunk (Stu Clarke, Tom Maidment and Cam Horne) narrowly won carrying on the good form Rotoiti. Just one meter behind was the family team Reggae Shark, (Harrison and Ian Baker and Michelle Bain) with Bloodline third and Zoot Allures fourth.

RnR won a shortened race two, also in a light 5 knot westerly, from Class Act, Dirty Circus and Zoot Allures.
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There was then a long wait as the breeze moved around to a light easterly. Reggae Shark won race three with local boat Zoot Allures (Dave Cochran and Rotorua crew of Darrell Civil and Garth Weinberg) taking out second. Picking up another third place was Napier boat Bloodline (Gavin Earle, Gareth Howard and Mark Sheldrake) with Dirty Circus fourth.

There were only three races on Saturday with many course changes. PRO Megan Kensington was pleased to have a series, with the forecast not looking promising for racing on Sunday.

With everyone having mixed results, Reggae Shark, on 8 points, was the clubhouse leader followed by Zoots 10, Slam 13, RnR 14, Bloodline 15, Dirty Circus 16.

Sunday's racing was held inside Whangarei Harbor near the entrance to Parua Bay with the prospect of a building easterly and overcast conditions.

Race four was in a light 5 knot south westerly which was shortened to one lap. In the dying breeze, RnR came home first, followed by Bloodline, Nevis and Zoots.

There was a delay to race five as the easterly came in and settled. All the crews were eager to get racing in the 10-12 knot easterly and there was a general recall. On the restart, under U flag, Bloodline and Class Act were OCS. Zoots was first home from Nevis, RnR, and local boat Hobo the Butcher helmed by Robin Ward. An injury to a crew member on Reggae Shark, and a broach in a 20 knot gust for Razorback, meant that these two boats made the decision to finish racing for the day.

Race six was won by Zoots, then RnR, Slam and Bloodline. At this stage of the regatta, Zoots held a one point lead over RnR.

Race seven was won by RnR from Slam, Dirty Circus and Nevis.

RnR also went on to win the last race of the regatta and this also secured the overall regatta title. This was a come from behind win after both Reggae Shark and Zoot Allures had both held strong lead positions at various stages throughout the regatta. Second in race eight was Slam, then Class Act and Bloodline.

Overall RnR first, Zoots second, Slam third and Bloodline fourth.
Zoot Allures picked up a consolation winning the ranking prize.
A big thank you to all the Race Committee in sometimes trying conditions.
Travellers Series #3 is at Whitianga 26th and 27th July

2025 Nationals - Napier

6/8/2025

2025 Napier Nationals Wrap

Shapershifter (Brett Elliott, Nick Bastow, Matthew Stuart) controlled the Burnsco Elliott 5.9 2025 National Championship to take a well deserved win over Revelry (Ben Costello, Andrew Willis, Drew P Bahlz).

The first day provided a good 15kts plus. While the breeze was nice enough, the crosswind sea state provided a tough day for the crews with many finishing the day well tired and battered.

Day two was called off with the breeze gusting 30 kts plus and a difficult sea state.

Day three dawned with a light variable westerly that constantly moved toward the south. This westerly was eventually replaced by the more traditional Napier sea breeze. While this occurred late in the day, there was still enough time to get one last race in.

In these varied conditions, Shapeshifter always found themselves toward the front. Only a sixth and a ninth late in the regatta provided some opportunity for them to be caught. However, it was their strong day one, with three wins, and another good win in the last race that allowed them a well deserved National Championship trophy.

Revelry kept Shapeshifter honest, with placings in the top three on six occasions, but they never quite managed the race wins required to really put the pressure on Shapeshifter.

Revelry’s real chance came in race eight as they led the fleet home, with Shapeshifter back in ninth, only for Revelry to be found OCS (on course side of the start line) and the consequent disqualification effectively ending their challenge for the title.

Reggae Shark (Harrison Baker, Ian Baker, Michelle Bain) continue their climb up the Elliott 5.9 ranking with another solid performance to take out third overall. The youth boat, Class Act ( Sam Scott, Tim McCulloch, Finn Balchin) took out the ranking trophy for most improved and placed ninth overall.

Again the racing was close and varied with five different race winners across the ten races completed. For a one design class that is used to close racing, the finishes were some of the closest yet. On numerous occasions, three to six boats crossing the line separated by only one or two meters. Definitely a challenge for the PRO and his team on the committee boat.

Four South Island boats made the trip north and left well pleased with their performance. Boat 1 (Shane Smith, Daniel Smith, Mitchel Rene) proved to be on the pace and picked up a win in race eight to eventually place eighth overall.

The social side of the regatta was also another success with a good evening at one of the local restaurants followed by a very successful BBQ on the next night with a successful prizing giving on the Saturday.

A bog thank you to the Napier Sailing Club for hosting the class again and to Andrew Kearney and his race team for getting away ten of the twelve scheduled races.

The Burnsco Elliott 5.9’s now move onto our highly successful Traveller Series.

The first 2025 Burnsco Traveller Series event is at Lake Rotoiti 17th - 18th May. This will be followed by events at Whitianga, Marsden Cove, Opua and our traditional finish at Sandspit.

2024 - 25 Southern Circuit

21/10/2024

The Nautilus Braids Elliott 5.9 Southern Circuit kicks off at Lake Aviemore over Labour weekend as part of the Timaru Yacht and Powerboat Club's Aviemore Classic Regatta. This highly anticipated three-day event features round-the-buoy racing on Friday and Saturday, followed by the grand finale on Sunday: the two-lap Aviemore Classic race around the lake, involving the entire trailer yacht fleet. The mass start is a spectacular sight as 40 to 50 boats charge down the lake, adding to the thrill of the event.
Lake Aviemore, situated on the Waitaki River in South Canterbury, is part of the Waitaki power scheme of hydro lakes that supply electricity to New Zealand. The Labour weekend regatta brings hundreds of people to the nearby town of Otamatata, boosting local tourism. The lake's winds, often blowing from either end of the lake, provide ideal and sometimes challenging sailing conditions, making it a favourite venue for sailors. This year marks the 36th running of the event, a testament to its importance in the sailing calendar.
Shane Smith on Boat One aims to continue his stellar form after a remarkable 2023 -24 season, having won both the series and the South Island championships. Meanwhile, Retro, sailed by class sponsor Andrew McFarlane, is returning as a contender to watch as he continues to improve. With many crews camping by the lakeside, the camaraderie among the sailors is expected to be in full swing.
The Nautilus Braids Elliott 5.9 Southern Circuit will continue with its second round at Pigeon Bay on Banks Peninsula on the 23rd and 24th of November, which will serve as the South Island Championships. The series will conclude in Nelson on January 18th and 19th, rounding off what promises to be an exciting competition.
Racing across the one design Elliott 5.9 southern fleet is, as usual, expected to be tight. The ability to easily tow the Elliott 5.9 means that 5.9s from across the South Island, including Nelson, Christchurch and Timaru will be competing throughout the series.
The overall series will also provide the South Island boats with a great warm up to the Napier based nationals that will be held 3 - 5 April 2025. This will see the coming together of the North and South Island fleets with 20 or more Elliott 5.9s likely to be on the start line. After a closely fought North Island Traveller Series, and an ever improving South Island fleet, it is shaping as one of the most competitive one design class nationals to be sailed in NZ.

October 15th, 2024

15/10/2024

The Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series final regatta at Sandspit over the weekend of 5th and 6th October was a great success and a fitting end to another successful series.

A good turnout of boats ensured that there was good racing throughout. The top ten boats were extremely close with every boat picking up a sixth place or worse. With three different race winners in the first three races, the scene was set for a well contested regatta. Overall, there were five different race winners across the ten races and this has now become a common theme in the close one design racing that is the Elliott 5.9 fleet.

All ten races were able to be completed and Sandspit again provided great sailing conditions. Saturday saw a good consistent 15kts with puffs and patches of breeze that rewarded good heads up sailing. Sunday was similar. While the breeze had tracked more to the west, the sun was out and it was great sailing. Again, puffs and shifts kept everyone on their toes and provided the passing opportunities that ensured the racing was tight and competitive.

There were a number of standout performances. Shapeshifter showed a marked return to form, after recent regattas have found them back in the fleet, to be the only boat to consistently score top three placings and eventually take a well deserved regatta win.

R+R had a difficult first day and Slam Dunk stayed relatively consistent to close up to only a few points adrift in the battle for the overall Burnsco Traveller series title. However, R+R responded with a couple of race wins on the final day, and while this was not enough to haul in the impressive Shapeshifter for the regatta title, it was enough to hold off Slam Dunk for the overall title.

Nevis was another to impress. After some low regatta performances by their standards, ongoing adjustments to boat set up helped produce a performance that allowed Nevis to consistently challenge toward the head of the fleet, including a standout race win in race one. This result meant Nevis won the Sandspit Regatta Ranking Trophy for most improved.

The Youth Development Boat, Class Act, also featured strongly. Picking up a third, a fourth and a fifth, they were always in a position to challenge toward the front of the fleet. To see the youth development achieved across the series is a credit to this program. It has proved to be a very successful formula. With such success, the Elliott 5.9 Association will again be making the boat available to new youth development teams for next year. Expression and interest and application information can be found here under the Development Boat tab.

The overall Burnso Traveller Series Ranking Trophy for most improved went to Usian Boat. While the tight racing at Sandspit meant they only achieved an eighth place at this regatta, this will still be enough to hold onto to fourth in the overall series standings.This allowed them to jump above Nyx, who lead the ranking going into Sandspit and take a well deserved result based on their overall series performances.

The next major event for the Elliott 5.9 fleet will be the national championships to be held in Napier 3 - 5 April 2025. The Napier location will provide great sailing conditions at this time of year and is also quite accessible for the Elliott 5.9s based in the South Island. With some 16 North Island boats to attend, and the inclusion of the South Island Fleet, a national fleet of 20 boats or more is expected. With the racing tighter than ever and multiple boats capable of race wins, it's shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested one design national events in New Zealand sailing.

In the meantime, the South Island Elliott 5.9 Fleet will be commencing their Nautilus Braids Southern Circuit. They will start in Lake Aviemore with another two events at Pigeon Bay and Nelson.

Whitianga 2024 Regatta Report

21/8/2024

The recently completed Burnso Elliott 5.9 Traveller series regatta at Whitianga lived up to the hype as one of the most closely contested Elliott 5.9 regattas yet.

The conditions on the Saturday were light, leading to a delay in racing. However, once the breeze settled in, while remaining light, it was consistent. The committee did a great job by getting six good fair races to make the most of the day.

Over recent seasons, it has been clear that the performance of all the boats is becoming closer and more consistent. In these light breezes, nearly all boats are very similar in performance. Course placement and crew work were really important and the ability to recover from any errors proved difficult.

The tightness of the racing was well demonstrated with five different winners across the six races. The only boat to pick up two wins was the current Traveller Series champions, Shapeshifter. However, the close racing meant Shapeshifter also had two ninths to only sit in fifth overall after the first day.

The difficulty in piecing together consistent results was reflected right throughout the fleet. Slam Dunk was the only boat to remain in the top four in each race and ended the first day as the overall leaders.

Day two also dawned with light to no breeze and there was again a delay in racing. The breeze did again fill in to allow more racing, but the Sunday breeze was changeable and patchy. The race committee did well to get two races away before abandoning for the day.

R+R were at their mercurial best. After sitting in third place after day one and looking to be unlikely regatta winners, they pulled off two wins on day two to sneak past the consistent Slam Dunk for the regatta win by one point. R+R’s wins on day two made them the sixth race winners across the eight race series

Reggae Shark, who have only recently returned to the series, took out a well deserved third. A couple of second placings and a win, bookended fifth and sixth placings, was the consistency required for their podium finish.

Whitianga was also a great event for our Elliott 5.9 female crew and skippers with five ladies across the fleet. Between the youth program and the steadily building female sailors, the class continues its role as a great development class. The close racing and one design aspect continues to develop everyone's skills to a high level.

Mercury Bay Boating Club again proved to be great hosts and the race team did a great job getting in eight races given the marginal forecast. Again the social aspect was great and it was good to see family and friends also enjoying the awesome Whitianga location.

The class is off to another iconic spot for the Burnsco Traveller Series #4, Russell. This has proved to be a great location for the Elliott 5.9s and the class is looking forward to going back again.

The class is continuing to grow as the series progresses with 15 boats expected on the start line over the weekend of 24 - 25 August.
All the top contenders will again be on the start line but it is proving more and more difficult to pick who may fill the podium. Consistently and the odd win are likely to be the winning combinations but achieving that in what is becoming quite a hot fleet is easier said than done.

Follow results and pictures online www.facebook.com/elliott5.9 and for more information on the Elliott 5.9 Class Association visit www.e59.org.nz
Previous results can be found here https://elliott59.weebly.com/results.html

Whitianga 2024 Preview

20/7/2024

Revelry in big seas at New Plymouth

After an eventful and challenging Burnsco Traveller Series #2 at New Plymouth, the Elliott 5.9 fleet will this week be hosted by Mercury Bay Boating Club at Whitianga over the weekend 27th and 28th July for Burnsco Traveller Series #3.

Burnsco Traveller Series #2 at New Plymouth was a great event for the class. Very large swells with strong breeze were conditions that tested boat handling and skills to a high level. It was a good test but the boats handled the conditions well.
Despite the challenging conditions, racing was again tight. Rounding marks two or three boats wide in these conditions were not for the faint hearted.

Revelry had another good regatta. After the first day of four races, Revelry were only one peony behind R+R and were consistently challenging R+R in some tight boat on boat racing. A real credit to biot crews in the given conditions. Slam Dunk and Bloodline were also in the mix but lacked the consistency to truly challenge the lead two boats.

A big thank you must go to the team at New Plymouth Yacht Club. The conditions on the committee and mark boats must have been challenging and uncomfortable but they still managed to set good fair courses and got started away in quick succession.

Traveller Series #3 at Whitianga sees the return of a number of boats.. Shapeshifter and Reggae Shark both had great seasons last year, coming out in first and second place overall in the 2023 Traveller Series.They will no doubt be challenging R+R, Revelry and Slam Dunk for the top placings at Whitanaga.

Usain Boat has also had some very useful recent results and will be making the journey from the Far North. They will also be expected to challenge the leaders

Nevis and Dirty Circus complete the set of returning boats. With Bloodline and Zoot Allures currently sitting in fourth and fifth overall, these returning boats will also mix up the results.

Overall, Whitanaga is likely to prove to be a decisive regatta. Coming midway through the overall five regatta series, a good result will leave boats in the hunt for the overall podium. A poor result in a large competitive fleet will have a damaging impact on any boat's overall points.

The racing will be extremely tight. Any poor decisions will shuffle a boat out of the top ten very quickly. With this quality fleet, it will be challenging to work your way back through the fleet. As always, consistency will be key.

Youth Development
Lydia Boyd and team have now taken over the Youth Development boat, Class Act. It's great to see another young female skipper getting involved in the class.Lydia joins a number of female crew who currently compete in the class. As well, she follows in the footsteps of a number of well performed female skippers who have previously honed their skills within the class.

Potentially, Class Act will be crewed by an all female youth crew in the upcoming regatta. The Elliott 5.9 class continues to be proud to support upcoming sailors and also provide a progression for female skippers and crew. The class provides a great stepping stone in competitive one design racing and crewed boats that opens up many doors to further sailing opportunities.

The class is always thankful to the Elliott 5.9 class members whose generosity and time means that Class Act is available to youth crew free of charge. The sole purpose of the boat is supporting youth development sailing. Full details of the Elliott 5.9 Youth Development boat opportunity are available on the website under the Development Crew Boat tab.

Again, the class would like to thank the Mercury Bay Yacht Club for hosting the fleet. The Elliott 5.9 class has built a good relationship with the club. The class always looks forward to this regatta. Despite the club's loss of clubrooms, they continue to provide great hospitality, launching facilities etc.

New Plymouth Traveller Series

6/7/2024

The Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series fleet will be heading to New Plymouth this weekend, 15 - 16 June, for the second round of the Burnsco 2024 Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series.

This is the first time the fleet has sailed out of New Plymouth. For many of the crews, it will also be their first time sailing competitively from New Plymouth.

The ability to easily tow the Elliot 5.9 has always made holding regattas at various locations a real bonus to the competitive one design racing. Seeking out awesome locations means each regatta has its own unique atmosphere, from varied racing to a good social vibe.
The addition of a new location to the series on a regular basis keeps the series fresh and engaging.

New Plymouth has been a potential new location for some time and the class is pleased to finally add it to the series. An added bonus is that New Plymouth Yacht Club have Elliott 5.9s as part of their junior and learn to sail fleet. The Elliot 5.9 class has always supported sailor development, including having its own youth development boat. The class will look to pass on knowledge and tips to the local Elliot 5.9 crews. The class is also looking forward to having the New Plymouth development boats out on the water to add to the close one design racing.

If you are keen on being involved in the Elliott 5.9 Youth Development program, a competitive boat is made available free of charge to eligible crews, please follow this link.
Elliott 5.9 Youth Development Boat

On the water, much interest will focus on Revelry. Revelry is currently being campaigned by a team out of North Sails. While the crew and skipper can change between regattas, the wealth of experience at North Sails always ensures a competitive crew is on the water. Having placed second at the Marsden Cove nationals and then picking up a well deserved third overall at the first Burnsco Traveller Series event in Rotoiti, Revelry are well placed on the leaderboard.

Likewise, Slam Dunk will be starting at New Plymouth after a very strong performance at Rotoiti. They displayed good consistency in variable conditions, never placing outside the top four. They eventually found themselves just a few points behind the eventual winners, R+R. Slam Dunk would no doubt have felt if racing had taken place on the final day, they may well have come away with a regatta win. So, some unfinished business for Slam Dunk.

As always, the gatekeepers to any regatta win in the Elliott 5.9 is the always present R+R. While conditions may have been tricky and variable in Rotoiti, they still managed to find a way to keep themselves toward the front of the fleet to take out a narrow but deserved regatta win. R+R will also be at New Plymouth and will be expecting to add this new regatta title to their impressive collection.

A big thanks to the New Plymouth Yacht Club who have already put in the work to get this reggatta organised for the class. There are always many volunteers and behind the scenes organising to make a regatta work. The Elliott 5.9 class looks forward to enjoying the racing and hospitality that New Plymoiuth has to offer.

2024 Southern Circuit #3 - Picton and Southern Circuit overall

26/3/2024

The final round of the Elliott 5.9 Southern Circuit took place over the weekend of March 9th and 10th in Picton. The event was hosted by the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club. This event, the third and final event in the Elliott 5.9 Southern Circuit, attracted sailors from as far away as Christchurch to take on the challenging conditions and tight racing.

Saturday's Races:
Saturday's conditions presented sailors with a shifty easterly breeze ranging from 15 to 28 knots, keeping the fleet on their toes as they navigated through gusts and shifts. Despite the challenging conditions, the fleet showcased their skills with multiple lead changes and close racing. Highlights included a few wipeouts and a dramatic moment when Eagle lost their main sheet hand overboard but managed to recover and maintain their lead. Three races were completed on Saturday, testing the sailors' endurance and tactical abilities.

Sunday's Races:
Sunday brought a change in wind direction, with a northwesterly breeze ranging from 12 to 20 knots. The shifty conditions created passing lanes around the course, leading to intense and competitive racing. Sailors enjoyed close battles and multiple lead changes throughout the three-lap races, with the entire fleet finishing each race within minutes of each other.

Final Results:
Shane Smith demonstrated exceptional skill and consistency, winning five out of the six races to claim first place overall. Mark Howard on Eagle secured second place by a narrow margin, edging ahead of Andrew McFarlane on Retro by just one point. Seamus Tredinnick, sailing Magpie with a borrowed mast, had a commendable performance, finishing only two points behind Retro in fourth place. Garry on Erotic showed improvement throughout the weekend, closing the gap to the fleet.

Southern Series Wrap-Up:
The Southern Circuit series results mirrored the weekend's placings, with Shane Smith on Boat 1 claiming first, followed by Mark Howard on Eagle in second, However Seamus Tredwick managed to pip Andrew McFarlane on Retro for third overall by just one point. The series concluded with the fleet enjoying epic racing on the water and some great social events off the water, showcasing the camaraderie and sportsmanship within the class.

Next Season:
As the current season wraps up, anticipation builds for the next season, which kicks off with the first event at Lake Aviemore in October. The rest of the series dates will be released soon.

Results can be found here https://elliott59.weebly.com/results.html
Follow results and pictures online www.facebook.com/elliott5.9 and for more information on the Elliott 5.9 Class Association visit www.e59.org.nz

2024 Burnsco Nationals - Another title for R+R

19/3/2024

R+R, campaigned by Craig Satterthwaite and Bart Bearda, took out the Burnsco Elliott 5.9 National title over the weekend. This is now R+R’s ninth Elliott 5.9 National title but again they had to sail well to head off a number of serious contenders.

After sitting in third place overall after day one, R+R displayed superb tactical sailing to take control of the regatta on day two. The racing was extremely tight, with just boat lengths separating the finishers. It was in these situations that R+R showed excellent boat placement to take controlling positions at crucial times resulting in four race wins on day two.

On day one, in light to moderate westerlies, the initial challenge for the title came from Slam Dunk, who opened the regatta with two firsts and a third. However, it was consistency from Revelry and Bloodline who held the joint lead after five races on day one with R+R sitting back in third.

Day two, in moderate westerlies, was moving-day for R+R. With four wins they made a real statement and laid down the marker for the rest of the fleet. Revelry backed up their good first day with another solid day but found themselves four points behind R+R with Slam Dunk just a couple of points further back.

Day three was a strong southerly gusting up to 25 kts. R+R, with their vast experience, would always be hard to beat in these conditions and so it proved out with another two wins. However, Revelry did manage to take out one of the most commanding race wins of the regatta when they cleared away from the fleet in the last race. R+R placed a solid second and this ensured that they reclaimed the title that had slipped from their grasp last year.

Revelry took out second overall and also won the 40 Stone Trophy. This trophy goes to the first crew with a combined weight under 255 kg, or 85 Kg crew weight average. With one of the heavier crews winning the regatta and one of the lighter crews taking out second, proving that crew weight is not the deciding factor.

Slam Dunk took out third place overall and it was only a little lack of consistency in two races on day one that probably cost them the opportunity to press for the runners up spot on the podium.

The Ranking Trophy, which recognises the boat that has placed the most above their pre-regatta ranking went to Usain Boat. Usian Boat placed fourth overall, picking up five top three placings including a win in race 5.

The Elliott 5.9 one design racing is continuing to get closer. All but the top two boats had to drop a race in the double digits. This seems to be a product of the continued success of the Burnsco Traveller Series with regular quality one design racing raising the standard throughout the whole fleet.

The regatta, hosted by the Onerahi Yacht Club, was an outstanding success both on and off the water. The officials provided great courses in at times changeable conditions to ensure all twelve races were completed. The club and volunteers went out of their way to host the class out of Marsden Cove. A big thank you must also go to Marsden Cove Marina who continue to ensure facilities are readily available for the class. This makes it such a great regatta to attend.

The Elliott 5.9 attention now moves onto the Burnsco Traveller Series. With three additional boats, who could not attend the nationals and all expected to be competitive toward the front of the fleet, the Traveller Series is shaping up as another serious contest.

The first round of the 2024 Elliott 5.9 Burnsco Traveller Series is at Lake Rotoiti 4 - 5 May.

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