After qualifying at our nationals in July this year, five Australian school sailing teams headed over the ditch to take on the best of the kiwi team sailors from the 2nd - 7th of Oct.

Australian teams over in NZ

This year, they combined the event into the NZ National Teams Sailing Champs, and after two days of competition, the three podium NZ teams took to the water for the inter-dominion comp against Australia. Conditions proved challenging day one, with a light to moderate land breeze providing holes and gusts all over the course. Later winds increase to plus 20 knots, forcing organisers to abandon the afternoon. With, a windy end to the day BGS returned with no wins in the bag and prayed for more time on the course to balance the score board.

Different to the Australian sailed pacer dinghy, the New Zealand teams race the 420 dinghy similar to schools in the USA. No trapeze or spinnakers are used, however, they can reef the mainsail for stronger weather.

Rowan Purcell, head coach of the BGS team, said “This is a great result, considering that the team only started sailing the 420 a month ago, and we were racing against fleets that have been sailing this boat for years. “

The final day provided great conditions with the breeze coming in from the sea and lasting longer than the locals had forecasted. BGS dominated the day in winning 4/4 tightly contested races, putting them in equal second place to Napier Boys College (NZ). The two losses on the first day cost BGS 2nd place after a count back, awarding them the bronze. 

The BGS team consisted of Isaac Schotte, Michael Murray, Ethan Harcourt, Alex Sampson, Ethan Ai, Levi Phun, Ozair Rahman, George Lee and coaches Rowan Purcell and Hugo Ghandi.

BGS Team

The Interdominion trophy was won by New Zealand with the overall results tally coming in at NZ (24 points) AUS (12 points) aggregated from the boys’ mixed competition and the girls. 

The sportsmanship displayed by the competitors both on and off the water was commendable, and one that should give strength and encouragement to the future Interdominion sailing events.