10:51 PM Thu 15 Apr 2010 GMT
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'Young 88 action on the Waitemata'
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When the Young 88 fleet gathers for its annual national championship event, you can guarantee a fleet packed with sailors who are not only amongst the best in the country, but the very best in the world.
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Harken - proudly sponsor the 2010 Harken Young 88 Nationals -
Harken
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Twenty boats will contest the Harken Young 88 National Championships taking place this weekend, 17-18 April in Auckland.
The winning skipper and crew will be considered one of the very best sailing teams in New Zealand.
'The Young 88 is unique in New Zealand in that we have dozens of virtually identical boats racing and cruising,' says event spokesperson Mike Leyland. 'It means that top sailors looking for some fun, as well as those with more of a recreational leaning, are attracted to the class, and that we get terrific competitive events such as the Harken Young 88 National Champs, where weekend warriors go up against elite professionals.'
Entries include a contingent from Emirates Team New Zealand to be helmed by Jeremy Lomas, past North American title holder Jim Maloney, and the only female skipper in the fleet, Danielle Bowater. Other active participants in the class and past national champions include the BMW World Sailing Cup winners for 2009 and 2010. A crew from the Young 88 class has won the BMW World Sailing Cup two years in a row.
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Hard to believe the Young 88 is an almost 30 year old design. -
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The 2010 Harken Young 88 National Champs, run by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, will be sailed on America's Cup territory - the waters North of Rangitoto - which ensure a good clean sailing breeze.
Racing will start at 1000hrs on Saturday and Sunday 17-18 April, with a prizegiving to be held at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on Sunday evening.
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Young 88 action on the Waitemata -
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Entrants in the 2010 Harken Young 88 National Championships include:
Raging Hormones - Jim Maloney
Panama Jack - Stefan Goldwater
Simple Minds - Bruce Scott
Abracadabra - Zane Gifford RNZYS
Danger Zone - Grant Turnbull BBYC
Flash Gordon - Jeremy Lomas RNZYS
Heartlight - Mark Clough DYC
Legless - Geoff Lowe RAYC
Lipstick - Mark Trevena BBYC
Mindbender - Steven Taylor - RBMCC
Nijinsky - Des Davis BBYC
Sailor Moon - Jacko van Deventer KIYC
Sister Moonshine - Will Tiller RNZYS
Skitzo - Danielle Bowater RNZYS
Sonic - Damon Jollifee RNZYS
Split Decision - Peter Grey WBC
Sweeney Todd - Vaughn Clark BBYC
Waka Huia - Bill Dalbeth SSANZ
Young Magic - Mason Pepper RNZYS
Young Radical - Paul McWilliams RNZYS
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Young88's have traditionally been the strongest one design keelboat class in New Zealand -
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by Zoe Hawkins
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
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Sailing
