All ages take to water

By BOB PEARCE

Despite the billionaire bickering of the America's Cup, yachting is not exclusively a rich man's sport in New Zealand.

That is the message from the new chief executive officer of Yachting New Zealand, Simon Wickham, who takes up the job this week in Auckland.

"The America's Cup may have reinforced the perception that yachting is a rich person's sport," he says. "But those people make up a tiny percentage of the sport.

"Anyone who has anything to do with yacht clubs would know that most people involved are typical ordinary New Zealanders.

"You don't have to own a yacht to go sailing. There are plenty of chances to sail on other people's boats for the price of $10 a week in the crew kitty.

"And parents will find that they can give their children a taste of sailing through clubs which rent out boats."

This way, if a child loses interest in yachting, he or she can move on without additional cost to the family.

There was no danger of Mr Wickham losing interest. He first stepped into an Optimist dinghy when he was eight and has had a passion for sailing ever since.

He is an instructor at Wellington's Port Nicholson Yacht Club sailing academy and a regular participant in the club's keelboat racing programme.

Last year he sailed in the Sydney-Hobart race on the New Zealand yacht EZ Street.

Mr Wickham holds a double degree in physical education and science from Otago University. He also has a postgraduate business administration qualification.

He was secondary school sports director for the Manawatu Sports Foundation and he managed the Hillary Commission's junior sport programme for three years.

"My new job offers a unique opportunity to combine two passions, working in the sports industry and yachting.

"We must build on our many previous international successes to ensure an equally bright future. We must also develop even closer relationships with affiliated yachting and boating clubs and class associations to guarantee their future."

Yachting New Zealand is the national body for competitive and recreational yachting and boating. Among its core activities it:

* Administers the international rules of yacht racing.

* Sets standards and administers accreditation of coaches and race management officials.

* Receives and administers funds from the Hillary Commission and Sports Foundation.

* Acts as a lobby group to central and local government bodies.

* Acts as sole entry agency for New Zealand yachting teams in the Olympic Games and other international events.

* Establishes and maintains safety standards and maintains the register of boats.

Mr Wickham believes the spinoff from the America's Cup regatta in Auckland has been positive throughout the country.

"The profile it has given yachting in this country has been enormous.

"There is now a large proportion of the country talking about gybing and tacking and understanding what they mean. The Cup is not the only reason, but I have noticed at the Port Nicholson academy that there has been a real increase in participation.

"New Zealand despite its size has, I think, the ninth largest coastline of any country and yachting with its emphasis on water safety and respect for the environment provides the ideal sport for our young people."