Sailing: Burling inspires next generation

Peter Burling's continued success is a constant inspiration for the next generation of Bay sailors.

While Burling was winning a world title in France with Blair Tuke in the 49er class, six young sailors aged 11-13 from the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club took on huge waves in Wellington at an event Burling starred in.

The NZ Optimist National Championships were held over Easter at Worser Bay in Wellington, with 160 sailors from throughout New Zealand, Australia, Tahiti and New Caledonia competing in conditions that were the toughest most of them had sailed in.

The nationals involves three days of qualifying races before the whole fleet is split into three levels - gold, silver and bronze - for two more days of finals.

All Tauranga sailors did well. James Barnett qualified in the gold fleet and was ranked 20th overall. He was selected in the New Zealand team to compete at the Asian and Oceania Championships in Doha, Qatar, in October.

"It is really exciting because I aimed to get to that position, so to be able to actually do that after all the hard work is pretty pleasing," Barnett said.

In the silver fleet of 53 sailors, Joel Kennedy finished 12th, Blair Mellsop 18th and Braeden Denny 19th, while Lachlan Dillon finished 3rd and Josh Blackie 11th in the bronze fleet of 52 sailors. Four of the boys were at their first nationals.

The yacht and power boat club's Optimist team has trained all summer with club racing coach Maria Ferrario from Buenos Aries. The 28-year-old former international sailor has seen big improvements in their skills since she arrived in November. "I was in charge of the club's race teams at the top level and I took them to competitions," she said.

"In Wellington they did very well, because the conditions were so different to what we have here in the harbour. It was a big challenge with wind at more than 20 knots. The first two days were a big learning time for us."

Ferrario has loved working with so many talented young sailors at "such a famous club".

"The Tauranga harbour is a special place and that is one of the reasons why so many very, very good sailors, like half of the Olympic team come from Tauranga Yacht Club.

"The harbour has so many benefits that the sailors after school can come here and go sailing alone, which makes them very independent.

"I think that makes the Tauranga sailors the best in the world. Burling did exactly what these guys are doing now."