Sailing: Murrays Bay optimist living up to country's seeding in Napier

Seb Menzies, 12, of Murray's Bay SC (Auckland), has a five first placings from six qualifying races at the Optimist Nationals in Napier. PHOTO/Bob Sheldrake

Seb Menzies is a boy of few words but, then again, you would have to be on his wavelength to understand his lingo.

It seems Menzies is content with doing his talking on the water and isn't he doing it so eloquently at the Toyota Optimist National Championship in Napier.

The 12-year-old from Murrays Bay Sailing Club is speaking a dialect that is fast becoming the envy of his peers (if it wasn't already) during the Napier Sailing Club-hosted regatta.

After day two of racing today, Menzies again reminded everyone why he is New Zealand's top optimist.

The Murrays Bay Intermediate pupil added three first placings and a second today to his two race-winning statement on the opening day of the open fleet class of the five-day nationals along the Ahuriri waterfront.

His only "slip", if you can call it that, came in the fourth race today, a catch-up race after it couldn't be completed yesterday because of big swells post-Cyclone Cook.

"I just went too far left and got stuck in no wind," said Menzies after Australian Blake Wilson, of Southport Sailing Club, in the Gold Coast, won the line honours of race four.

Asked what the difference was with yesterday, he said it was windier although the waves were smaller which benefited his cause.

With the worst result discarded, Menzies is on a perfect run with five net points from six qualifying races.

However, Napier club member Josh Gilmore registered two firsts, a third and second placings today to sit in second overall on net nine points.

David Buchanan, who flies the flag of Charteris Yacht Club and Richmond YC (Auckland), is in third place but on equal net points with the Napier Boys' High School pupil.

Monty Alderson, of Kohimarama YC (Auckland), was fourth on 12 points while Wilson was fifth, just a point adrift.

So what makes Menzies so dominant?

"I think I have good starts," said Menzies who switches to tactical mode to determine how and when he should go for it.

His father, Steve Menzies, used to be a sailor and taught him the ins and outs of the single-handed dinghy designed specifically to teach children up to the age of 15 how to hone their skills.

The youngster didn't know if his father had any national or international pedigree but he ruled him out as the former Manly Sea Eagles rugby league star.

Living a stone's throw from the sailing club, Menzies said he relished the opportunity to venture out with his dinghy whenever he wanted.

He finished 121st at the Optimist World Championship in Portugal last year.

The open fleet class has lured 178 sailors, including 28 Australian competitors, five from New Caledonia and four from Tahiti.

The nationals is the last ranking regatta for the sailing season with a top-five national berth up for grabs for those keen to hang tough in the Optimist World Championship in Malaysia in July as well as the Europe and Oceania championships.

Twenty teams have entered for teams' segment of the regatta tomorrow with gold, silver and bronze to be awarded at the end of the races to be staged from Hardinge Rd to be competed for in America's Cup-type format.