NI regatta boosted with missing trophy's return

A resurgence of windsurfing in Tauranga sees it hosting the North Island titles this weekend - and the return of a long-lost and prestigious trophy is putting extra wind in the event's sail.
While taking stock of her winner's spoils in search of trophies for a new youth series a while back, 1992 Olympic champ and windsurfing legend Barbara Kendall chanced upon the original North Island championship trophy. Last contested in '96, when it was won by her husband and coach Shayne Bright, the trophy also bears Kendall's name as '94 champ - a provenance fit to inspire a whole new generation of talent.
With the North Island event lapsing before being resurrected by the Tauranga Yachting and Power Boat Club in December 2009, the trophy will be back on the podium on Sunday for the first time in 15 years.
Racing gets under way at Sulphur Point at 1pm tomorrow, wind permitting, and at 11am on Sunday.
The Tauranga club's development officer, Stuart Pedersen, said the trophy's re-emergence was a major bonus for this year's regatta.
"Barbara was digging for trophies to donate to the Kendall Techno Cup youth series when she found the original trophy," he said. "We didn't have it in time to present it at the 2009 North Island event, which our Tauranga club staged to kick-start windsurfing here, but it's great to have it back now as the sport's growing again locally."
With defending titleholder Tom Ashley, who won Olympic gold and the RS:X world championship in '08, now in Europe, the men's division is wide open.
In the women's field, the absence of 2012 Olympic hopeful Kate Ellingham likewise creates an opportunity for hot Auckland prospect Justina Sellars and others.
For the youth and junior grades, the Tauranga club fields its strongest contingent yet. Its charge will be led by 2011 New Zealand youth champion Sven Pedersen, fresh from a clean sweep at the nationals and the Sail Auckland regatta.
Also competing on the Olympic RS:X boards will be Bradley Nixon and Brandon Hailwood, while Abbey Borman, Alex Hart and Mitchell Ryan will be in action on the Techno boards in the junior grades.
Tomorrow also brings multihull competition with a "Matakana Raid". Starting about 10am, this catamaran endurance race will take the harbour route to Matakana Island's northern end, then out the Bowentown entrance and back down the coast.