Elliott 5.9 Association

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.

2024 Burnsco Nationals

4/3/2024

The 2024 Elliott 5.9 season is ramping up with the Burnsco 2024 Elliott 5.9 Nationals Championship to be hosted by Onerahi Yacht Club at Marsden Cove from 14 - 16th March.
This will then be followed by the Burnsco 2024 Traveller Series.

The Nationals at Marsden Cove are not completely new to the Elliott 5.9 fleet. It has been a regular stop on the highly successful Burnsco Travellers Series over a number of years. It's a location that provides great open water sailing, on Bream Bay, and has always been popular with the fleet for the great racing provided.

Another strong fleet is expected. The ability to tow the Elliott 5.9 means boats will travel from as far away as Napier. They will be taking on a strong contingent of Auckland and Far North based boats. At the same time, a strong fleet of South Island boats will be contesting their last round of the Southern Circuit in Picton, some 23 Elloitt 5.9s are expected to be competing over this period of time.

The nationals will again provide a closely fought contest throughout the fleet. The Elliott 5.9 continues to provide some of the best one design racing outside the olympic class boats. They provide a great crossover between competitive dinghy sailing and big boat skills. Hence why they have proved such a strong training platform for many of New Zealand's top sailors. With a number of world recognised sailors and former national champions again fronting to contest the title, the eventual champion is very much an unknown.

Based on last year's form, 2023 National and Traveller Series champion, Shapeshifter (Nick Bastow), are expected to be a benchmark to beat. However, R+R (Craig Satterthwaite), eight time champions, after a quiet year last year, will be looking to reclaim the title.

Perennial runners up, Slam Dunk (Stu Clake), must be thinking that this could be their year. They are always consistently on the podium and are likely to enjoy the consistent conditions that Bream Bay can offer.

Another boat many will have their eye on is Order 66 (Jack Carter). Jack has recently given this boat a complete refurbish and has a number of up and coming crew onboard. They will start as a complete unknown and it will be interesting to see how they perform in their first full Elliott 5.9 regatta.

Home advantage goes to the evergreen Zoot Allures (Dave Cochran). As a multiple champion, they are never far from the lead. Home advantage may be just the edge they need to claim another title. Another evergreen and former champion, with home water knowledge, is Hobo the Butcher (Rob Ward). Hobo is always capable of surprises and regularly takes out race wins. Backed up with consistent results, they may well find themselves in the hunt for another national title.

Once the nationals are complete, the class embarks on its hugely successful and competitive Burnsco Traveller Series. The class is introducing a new venue this year, as the class hit the road to New Plymouth for the first time. With New Plymouth using Elliott 5.9s as part of their sail training program, it will be great to head over there and work with the club on what should be a great new venue for the class.

The full Burnsco 2024 Traveller Series is:

Traveller Series #1 4 - 5 May Rotoiti
Traveller Series #2 15 - 16 June New Plymouth
Traveller Series #3 27 - 28 July Whitianga
Traveller Series #4 7 - 8 September Far North
Traveller Series #5 5 - 6 October Sandspit

As well, the Elliott 5.9 Class is really grateful to have Burnsco come on board as the National and Traveller Series naming sponsor for the year. This support continues to allow the class to run great contests around the country and continue to support and encourage sailor development as part of the class culture.

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
About The Elliott 5.9
The Elliott 5.9 emerged in the early 1980’s as a high performing trailer yacht and continues to deliver competitive one design racing in a welcoming fleet of world-class sailors and novices alike. The boats started a revolution with their well-balanced and cost effective design, and quickly became the boat of choice for top club training schemes and a breeding ground for NZ’s America’s Cup, Ocean Race and Olympic champions.
Sailed by a crew of three, the Elliott 5.9 remains a low maintenance sailboat with an efficient single spreader fractional rig, a well-balanced sail plan and practical deck layout. Whether sailing among mixed trailer yachts, sport boat fleets or in a one design setting, the 5.9 is celebrated for its responsiveness and outstanding value.

Traveller Series #1 Rotoiti - Regatta Report

30/4/2022

Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series #1: Close racing in light airs.

Light breezes were a feature of the Rotoiti Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series #1 but this did not detract from some incredibly tight and close racing.

R+R (Craig Sattherwaite, Phil Jamieson, Stu Bethany) were deserved winners but they did not have it all their own way. There were 6 different race winners across the 9 races completed but no one else could match R+R’s overall consistently. R+R eventually picked up 3 race wins and a run of other top 5 placings with their only real blemish an OCS (on course side) in race 6.

After a slightly slower start in the first 2 races, Slam Dunk (Stu Clarke, Cam Horne, Stu Molloy) found good form through the middle of the regatta to pick up second overall. At ten points behind R+R, Slam Dunk may be ruining the OCS which potentially cost them the outright win.

Blurr (Simon Manning, Andy Roberston, Carl Syman) made a successful return to the fleet to pick up third overall including two race wins. Not only will Blurr be pleased with their well deserved third place, they also managed to hold off the youth team which was led by Simon Manning’s son, Jack, on Voodoo.

Voodoo hit their stride in the middle section of the regatta and seemed to relish the light air. They opened the second day by crossing the line first in race 5. They then followed this up with a second in race 6, only to find that they were OCS in race 5. Another OCS in the last race pushed them down the overall results but this youth team was definitely competitive.

Top rookie prize went to Ice Breaker (Tom Maidment, Olly Maidment and Stefano) sailing Icebreaker. Icebreaker picked up seventh overall including a couple of top 5 placings.

With a fleet of 15 competitive boats on the start line, light conditions and a forecast that indicated racing may be unlikely, the race committee from BOPTYS did a great job to get the 9 race starts away.

Again, the one design Elliott 5.9 provided really tight and competitive racing. There were some great downwind tussles as each boat searched out small gains. Mark roundings were incredibly tight with 10 boats plus converging on the bottom gate marks at the same time. Tactical awareness and boat positioning played a major part in achieving consistent results.

The Elliott 5.9 fleet will hit the road again for the Nationals Championships to be held at Russell 19 - 22 May. With upto 20 boats expected and an amazing location, another close competitive and enjoyable reatta is expected.

Full results available online https://elliott59.weebly.com/results.html and pictures online www.facebook.com/elliott5.9

Traveller Series 2022 Preview

30/4/2022

One Design Elliott 5.9s gear up for their flagship 2022 Traveller Series

As other sailing events start to wind down, the very successful Elliott 5.9 fleet are again gearing up for their hugely successful Traveller Series.

The 2022 Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series will run from April to September and will also incorporate the Elliott 5.9 National Championship. The full series consists of 5 events:

Traveller Series # 1 9 - 10 April Rotoiti
Traveller Series # 2 19 - 22 May Russell Bay of Islands (Nationals)
Traveller Series # 3 18 - 19 June Whitianga
Traveller Series # 4 13 - 14 August Bucklands Beach TBC
Traveller Series # 5 24 - 25 September Sandspit

After a great 2021 series, which attracted 20 boats, Stu Clarke, the Elliott 5.9 Class Association president, is expecting another very successful series.

With a couple of boats changing hands and some boats returning from a short break, the class not only hopes to build on the Traveller Series but also strengthen the 16 boat strong 2021 nationals fleet when it holds the 2022 nationals in the iconic Bay of Islands at Russell.

Stu feels that the continued success and growth of the class comes down to a few significant points. The class is one design and this makes for really cost effective and close competitive racing. The boats are also easy to hook up to the car and tow around the country so it's really simple to get to some great sailing locations.

The Class Association has also settled on a strong formula for theTraveller Series, with usually five events targeted over the winter months leaving the summer months free for family and other sailing or sporting pursuits. This definitely works in attracting some of New Zealand's top sailors and the results board continue to have list of America's Cup, Round the World and Olympic sailors

While the sailing is close and competitive, the social side is also great. With a crew of three, not only does everyone have a job on board, there is a good number and mix of people to ensure a good positive social atmosphere on shore.

While the class is currently in good heart, proven by the good fleets and competitive sailors involved, the class association is also looking ahead beyond the 2022 Traveller Series.

With a now well established South Island fleet, which held the inaugural Elliott 5.9 South Island Camps last year, the class is looking to potentially support and promote a South Island based Summer Series to further enhance the one design Elliott 5.9 experience.

The class is also discounting the 2022 Traveller Series entry fee for South Island based boats to support their effort and extra cost involved in competing in the 2022 Traveller Series

With Traveller Series #1 at Rotoiti now less than four weeks away and with good early entries, the Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series is ready to roll.

<<Previous