New Zealand World Optimist Sailing Championships team member Leonard Takahashi-Fry is a more than handy ballroom dancer.
Back in 2009, he won six titles at the national championships. However, teenage girls hoping to score a dance with Aucklander Takahashi-Fry at the New Year's Eve celebrations in Napier are likely to be out of luck.
Takahashi-Fry, who celebrates his 13th birthday tomorrow, and his Kiwi teammates won't be hanging around Napier's Sound Shell long after the opening ceremony for the 250-sailor regatta on New Year's Eve as the Optiworlds, which will involve teams from 50 countries, begin the next day. An early night is a must.
"There will be other opportunities for dancing," Takahashi-Fry said. When your's truly suggested the January 9 prize-giving after he wins the world title as a possible date, a huge grin enveloped Takahashi-Fry's face.
"That would be good. But if I don't win this time, I've got two more cracks at the worlds," national champion Takahashi-Fry said referring to the under-15 age limit for the class.
Takahashi-Fry and the majority of his teammates have been training in Napier for the past week under the guidance of their 19-year-old coach, Chris Steele, of Auckland who won the 2007 Optiworlds in Italy.
Steele hopes the 15-18 knot winds his troops trained in this week will return during the January 1-9 world championships.
"They are consistent and don't shift a lot. There has been a nice big swell," Steele said.
"We don't want a repeat of the North Island championships here at Labour Weekend which was a weird regatta because of the winds."
The veteran of 10 years' sailing is enjoying coaching and travelling the world with the Kiwi Optimists contingent. His long-term goal is to be selected for an America's Cup crew.
"There's no money in sailing at the Olympics," Steele said.
He pointed out helping the Kiwi team members do the best possible in the individual section of the championships is his main focus.
"A lot of countries take the two-day teams racing section of the regatta seriously," Steele said. "That won't be our main focus but we will still try and win it.
"Obviously, it would be good to win as this is the first time New Zealand has hosted the world championships. It's going to be a lot different having all our supporters and family members close by ... in the past we have relied on good luck wishes on Facebook."
In the individual section of the regatta, which will involve 15 races, the best four placings recorded by each of the five-strong teams will determine the winners of the Miami Herald Trophy which New Zealand has won twice, in 2004 and in 2007. Thailand won it last year.
Steele pointed out his troops haven't been short of international competition in the build-up to the world championships.
Back in July, they did a tour which involved a pre-worlds regatta in the Dominican Republic, the venue for next year's world championships, the United States nationals in Houston, Texas, and a regatta in Wales.
Takahashi-Fry, who is part Japanese, also competed at a Japanese regatta where he finished second. He won the United States nationals and the Wales regatta and finished eighth in the pre-worlds.
Hamilton Yacht Club's Isaac McHardie, 14, was fifth in the pre-worlds and in Wales and 13th in the United States nationals.
Somerville, 15, was third in Wales, fourth in the United States and sixth in the pre-worlds.
The Kiwi team have put in between three and four hours' training each day during the past week. "We did morning and afternoon sessions so the boys got used to the different breezes," Steele said. "We did a lot of biking up Bluff Hill and we've also done plenty of running and stretching.
"We've also had some time off for sightseeing ... I can't wait to tackle one of the local golf courses too," added the 11 handicapper.
NZ team members profiled
* Name: CHRIS STEELE (coach).
Age: 19.
Clubs: Wakatere Boating Club and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (both Auckland).
Years sailing: 10.
Previous Optiworlds: 2006 42nd, 2007 1st.
* Name: LEONARD TAKAHASHI-FRY.
Age: 13 tomorrow.
Club: Murray's Bay Sailing Club.
Years sailing: 3.
Previous Optiworlds: None.
* Name: MARKUS SOMERVILLE.
Age: 15.
Club: Wakatere Boating Club.
Years sailing: 3.5.
Previous Optiworlds: 2010 101st.
* Name: ISAAC McHARDIE.
Age: 14.
Club: Hamilton Yacht Club.
Years sailing: 3.
Previous Optiworlds: None.
* Name: WILLIAM McKENZIE.
Age: 14.
Club: Kohimarama Yacht Club.
Years sailing: 3.
Previous Optiworlds: None.
* Name: NATHANIEL DEVERELL.
Age: 17.
Club: Bay of Islands Yacht Club.
Years sailing: 8.
Previous Optiworlds: None.