Sailing: A good year for NZL Sailing

Tauranga sailor Peter Burling is looking forward to next year's race programme. Photo / File

After an incredible season for the NZL Sailing Team three of New Zealand's double-handed sailing crews are 2013 world champions including Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (women's 470), Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech (49erFX skiff) and Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (49er skiff).

All three pairs know the Waitemata and Hauraki Gulf like the back of their hand and all will compete at 2014 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland, New Zealand's foremost Olympic and invited classes regatta which runs from 1-4 February 2014 at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club.

Tauranga sailor Burling is the World and European Champion in the 49er skiff class and helm of the Red Bull Youth America's Cup winning team.

He is currently in Hawaii where racing starts in the Foiling Moth Worlds on the 14th October followed by the China Cup then home for a break.

He is looking forward to competing at Oceanbridge Sail Auckland.

"It is New Zealand's premier event for dinghy classes, and we're really looking forward to more good racing when 2014 comes round," said Burling.

Burling and Tuke's training partners Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski recently secured a career best achievement, winning world championship silver - they too will be on the start-line come February.

Reigning Olympic champions and 2013 World Champions in the Women's 470 class Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie will compete and are encouraging local and international sailors to join them.

"If you're thinking of coming to Oceanbridge Sail Auckland, it's a really well-run event," said Powrie. "We generally have a great range of breeze and it's a really fun event."

It's not only the double-handed classes featuring New Zealand's Olympic rock stars with the likes of Andrew Murdoch and Josh Junior to sail in the Finn, Andy Maloney, Sam Meech and Thomas Saunders to set the pace in the Laser class and New Zealand's top board sailors such as Natalia Kosinska and Jon-Paul Tobin all likely to compete.

And men's 470 duo Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox will be back on the racetrack again in 2014.