Brooke just gets home in ILCA nationals
Sandra Williams, left, and Brooke Mundy after competing in the Scott Construction ILCA National Championships in Nelson. <em>Photo: Stephen Stuart.</em>
Brooke Mundy picked the weather right in deciding what sailing class to contest at the Scott Construction ILCA National Championships in Nelson.
The Waimea College student had been considering racing in the ILCA 6 fleet but decided the weather forecast looked a bit windy so stuck to the ILCA 4 which has a smaller sail.
She stormed to the overall lead in light conditions on day three and then hung tough to claim the crown on the following day.
“I think I would have been overpowered in a 6 in those stronger winds on the final day,” reveals Brooke, who took up sailing seven years ago.
The youth committee member at the Nelson Yacht Club finished second behind Canterbury’s Lucy Luxford in the final two races to win overall by a solitary point.
“I was a bit anxious. The competition was really good and it was great to win at home,” says Brooke, who is already teaching others to sail. Her summer training partner Sandra Williams was “stoked” to see her prevail.
It completed a double for Nelson as the club’s vice-commodore was the first female grand master (55+) home in the ILCA 6 Masters fleet.
Sandra was 10th overall and the first of the seven Nelson sailors across the 10 races in that division.
“I usually capsize when the winds pick up but not this time. There was a real range of conditions over the four days. The ILCA 6 may look simple but they are a hard boat to sail fast. It was pretty competitive and actually pretty good fun,” declares Sandra, who was the driving force in bringing the nationals to Nelson.
She is already thinking about going to next year’s championships in the Bay of Islands.
Meanwhile, as expected, Olympian Greta Pilkington made no race of the ILCA 6 fleet on her first visit to Nelson.
“I do a lot of racing overseas so it is always nice to be back on local waters,” enthuses the 22-year-old from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland.
Tim Pitcaithly was the best of the local entrants in the 37 strong male field in the ILCA 7 fleet.
“It was awesome having these top sailors in town. The stronger winds on the last day were fantastic. I would have liked to have had them all week,” commented Tim, whose father Geoff was the race officer for the week.
The ILCA nationals attracted more than 100 entries.