2022 P Class Tanner Cup - We have a winner!

It was another perfect summers day at Murrays Bay Sailing Club for the final day of the P Class Tanner Cup, the inter-provisional event held prior to the Tauranga Cup, which is the National Championship for the class. The PredictWind forecast was 10-14 knots from the SW, and while the fleet were delayed on shore for an hour, and then delayed on the water, the fourth race of the series finally got away at 1410 hours. 18 sailors were on the start line ready to go, but proceeded with caution after seven UFD’s were issued in the second race of the series on day one. Joe Leith, who was sitting equal second coming into todays racing, port tacked the fleet at the start to secure the opening win of the day after having a pretty solid lead for the entire race. But Joe was kept on his toes as he worked to keep control of William Mason, who finished the race in second. Third was Blake McKinnon. The competition at the front of the fleet is tight! Cameron Dunn, Commodore of Murrays Bay Sailing Club and resident expert at Live Sail Die said, “Joe used a tried and true method – start in front and go from there. It’s a lot easier to win races that way,” stated Cam, who had his eyes peeled on the racing since the start gun was fired. The second race of the day, and the penultimate race of the series, started at 1510 hours with the fleet taking on the 12-16 knot south westerly. A few white horses (white caps), kept the kids busy with hiking and the relatively short/sharp shifts definitely kept things interesting! “You can see it just looking at the fleet. Some are heading much higher than others out there, so you can see the shifts unloading on the fleet,” said veteran P Class enthusiast Richard Brown, watching through binoculars from the Murrays Bay Sailing Club Race Management Tower alongside Cam Dunn. The race was thrilling and condensed the top ranked sailors resulting in Joe Leith and William Mason ending the race on equal points overall. The gun for race five went to Blake McKinnon, with Will Leech in 2nd and Ashton Cooke in 3rd. William Mason has a 10th, with Joe finishing 5th, after coming back from 11th. The weight of the world was on these young sailors shoulders and they headed into the final and deciding race of the event. The conditions changed for the final race with the breeze dying off to about 8-13 knots – it was all on for these young sailors. At the top mark, Nick Olson from PredictWind called the roundings. William Mason went round first followed by Blake McKinnon in 2nd, Ashton Cooke 3rd and Joe Leith cleanly round in 4th. Game on. “There was plenty of chatter as they went round that mark! Pretty sure they weren’t planning their social engagements. It was ON!” said Nick. “Blake McKinnon is having an awesome day, and took the lead at the first bottom mark rounding,” continued Nick. “The fleet split at the bottom mark with the sailors who went left hooked into the new breeze. The ones who went right haven’t hit that new breeze yet, and it’s pretty shifty. Like what Grunta (Grant McKinnon – Blake’s dad) said yesterday, glad it’s them and not me!” said Nick, who used to sail P’s back when he was a wee grasshopper himself. For Blake McKinnon to win the regatta, he needed to win the final race, with William Mason being 4th or worse, and Joe Leith being 3rd or worse. And you know what? That’s exactly what happened. Blake McKinnon, who came into this regatta with no expectations, and just hoping for a top six finish, has claimed victory in the P Class Tanner Cup for 2022. An outstanding effort by this young sailor, who was adorably humble about his win when he hit the beach after a long afternoon on the water. Blake won the regatta on count back from William Mason, with both sailors finishing on 13 points, but it was Blake’s solid finish winning the final two races that claimed him overall victory. Taking out the top female place was Bella Jenkins from Kohimarama Yacht Club, who beat out her competition Charlotte Palmer from Charteris Bay Yacht Club by just one point. With the Tanner Cup now wrapped up, attention is turned to the main event, the Tauranga Cup, where any P Class sailor can enter and race for the National Championship title. Murrays Bay was a hive of activity this morning as those sailors lined up to get their boats weighed and measured ahead of racing. The Tauranga Cup is held over three days, with three races scheduled for each of those days. Racing is scheduled to start at 1200 hours each day. The forecast will have the sailors on edge, with everything from 4 knots to 18 knots on the cards. Awesome! Congratulations to the 18 sailors who competed in the Tanner Cup representing their region. And a massive congratulations to Blake McKinnon for taking the win.