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BREEZE MAGAZINE
Story by Sara Roberts
Pictures by Mary Longpre
Governor's Cup --. ~
RNZYS Youth
~
Team score an
'historic' Victory
Ask any RNZVS Youth Programme
trainee, both current and graduates,
about the Governor's Cup and you will
hear them speak of this international
regatta held in extremely high regard.
For RNZYS Youth Programme trainees,
the regatta, affectionately referred to as
the "Gov's Cup", held at Balboa Yacht
Club, California is widely regarded as
the regatta to get selected for; as the
first overseas trip during the season
it sorts out the top spot early, and if
you win - you hold that top spot for
four months until the next regatta's in
November.
Four teams from the RNZYS Lion
Foundation Youth Training Programme
have achieved this feat, including two
teams who have completed the regatta
with only two losses throughout the entire
series. The 1989 win by the now Volvo
Ocean Race veteran Mark Christensen
and his crew of Morgan Trubovich and
Clinton Newbury was deemed "historic"
due to the team sailing a near perfect
regatta. But in 2009 coach Guy Pilkington,
William Tiller, Harry Thurston and Shaun
Mason have done it again!
"This was the second time I had
attended the Governor's Cup as coach
and it was fantastic to take the win!"
commented Pilkington, "The team sailed
so well during the round robins and to
come out on top was superb!"
The Governor's Cup was established by
Chet and Glee Purcell in 1967, after they
received the Deed of Gift from the then
Governor of California, President Ronald
Reagan. With the Governor's permission, a
perpetual trophy was established and the
first race series was held in August 1967.
Unlike the 6 metre Elliott design yachts
sailed by the RNZYS Youth Programme, the
Governor's Cup is sailed in Alan Andrews
designed 21ft yachts (Gov's Cup 21's).
Unlike the 6s, the Gov's Cup 21 shave
masthead spinnakers in addition to larger
jibs and are able to turn slightly quicker. After
coming 3rd in the 2006 regatta, Pilkington
said it was his better understanding of
the boats that enabled him to give better
direction to the team and give them the
edge at this year's event. "It is paramount
to have your jib trim spot on, as the jib sees
the breeze first and if it's not right you will
be slow. The skipper also has to drive off
the jib - which William and Shaun worked
together to sort out early. Downwind having
a full spinnaker through the gybe was
essential and Harry nailed it!"
RNZYS youth teams have attended the
Governor's Cup since 1988. That year's
team, comprising skipper John Bilger and
crew Carla Holgate (nee Bennett) and Ian
Vickers finished 4th overall. In addition to
the two afore-mentioned "historic" wins, an
RNZYS team has won the regatta five times
and the honours list forms a veritable who's
who of New Zealand yachting identities.
The winning team in 1990 of Kelvin
Harrap, Gavin Brady and Stu Clarke, was
followed by the 1995 winning team of
Andrew Estcourt, Kylie Jameson (nee
Hogg) and Cameron Appleton and the
2001 winning team of Simon Minoprio,
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Ryan Houston and David Ferris.
The Governor's Cup event is sailed just
off Newport Pier and is renowned for light
airs racing, with average wind speeds of
between 5 - 10 knots. "This changes the
game in the prestart, from trailing to leading
in, which is the opposite of what you do in
the 6's," commented Pilkington. "You are
sailing in the Pacific Ocean; blue sky, no
clouds, really hard to see the pressure on
the water, and a 1-2 metre swell.
passing lanes are scarce."
The team grasped these basic principles
early, which gave them a near perfect score
card after the double round robin of 21 wins
out of 22 races. The team's only loss was
to he team from he Cruising Yacht Club of
Australia helmed by Jay Griffin. Asked why
they lost the race, Pilkington commented:
e didn't win the start".
"The beats are between 200-400m long
As the top place getter going into the
semi finals, the RNZYS team were able to
choose their opponent. From his position
so winning the start is your only option. as
on the coach boat Pilkington observed
Above: The Squadron Youth Programme
winning team of (L-R) Harry Thurston,
Shaun Mason, William Tiller receive the
Governor's Cup from Balboa Yacht Club
Commodore Alan Andrews who is also
the designer of the Gov Cup 21 'so
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BREEZE MAGAZINE
In summation, Guy
Pilkington reported
he had two great
teams to coach
who were fantastic
ambassadors for
both the RNZYS
and New Zealand
yachting on and off
the water ...
the 3rd placed team from King Harbour
approach their coach and comment "Man!
Those Kiwis are fast!" So, in discussions
with his own team advised them to pick
King Harbour as their semi final opponent.
"We had the psychological edge and beat
them very convincingly 2-0".
The breeze was extremely light for
the finals, averaging 2-5 knots, therefore
Pilkington instructed the team to minimise
their manoeuvres and concentrate on
leading and winning the start. The team
subsequently did this in race one, of the
Above: The Squadron girls' team of (L-R)
Susannah Pyatt, Taylor Holland and
Oanielle Bowater acquitted themselves
well. Top right: Light airs and big Pacific
swells marked the regatta. Bottom right:
The traditional victory 'swim' back in the
marina.
first to win two race finals.
The second race should also have been
a clean win, however the team made a
mistake at the top mark; they got a penalty
on Newport at the top of the second
beat and got out on the port layline, The
team then tacked onto port and Newport
forced them into a dial down on starboard
and subsequently Newport completed their
penalty turn, led around the top mark and
the race was over. Coming away from that
loss clearly knowing their mistake, a few
calming words and simple instruction from
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The Squadron girls and the coach, Guy Pilkington, were not spared the obligatory swim after the win
the coach - "You know what you need to
do - away you go!" The team went on to
win the final deciding race by 20 seconds.
In summation, Pilkington reported he
had two great teams to coach who were
fantastic ambassadors for both the RNZYS
and New Zealand yachting on and off the
water. As always the Balboa Yacht Club put
on a fantastic regatta and were great hosts.
Thank you to the team's host families, Chris
and Lynn Hemans who hosted the girl's
team, Andy Rose who hosted the guys and
Robert and Cathy Kinney who were Guy's
hosts, they were extremely generous in
opening their homes to the teams.
The all girls team helmed by Suzannah
Pyatt, in their first overseas match racing
regatta did a fantastic job and will be ones
to watch for the future.
Thanks also to Scott Dickson and Larry
Walter for letting the team use his chase
boat and also taking out the Cha Cha Cha
on the final day to support the Kiwis.
The coach is definitely looking forward
to taking a team and competing at this
event next year.
2009 Final results
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
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Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
Newport Harbor Yacht Club
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
King Harbor Yacht Club
Royal Yachting Association
Mission Bay Yacht Club
Long Beach Yacht Club
San Francisco Yacht Club
Balboa Yacht Club
Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club
RNZYS (girls)
Southern Yacht Club