Regatta fun for ‘sailors’

Press, 3 February 1986, Page 4

Regatta fun for ‘sailors’

They don’t lavish as much money on their craft and there are no secret hulls, but model yacht enthusiasts like Dean Hogg (above), of Christchurch, seem as keen as their multi-milllon-dollar counterparts who compete for the coveted America’s Cup. Mr Hogg was one of the Waimairi Model Yacht Club sailors honing their radio control skills at the week-end in the two-day Jim Beam Trophy regatta at the Groynes. The competition was an important warm-up for the 10 Waimairi club members who will compete at the national

championships in Wellington at Easter. The present model yachting champion is the former New Zealand Olympic yachting gold medallist, Helmar Pedersen, of Auckland. After the nationals, model yachties from throughout New Zealand will converge on Christchurch in June for the South Island champion-

ships during Queen’s Birthday week-end, and then for the Sears Rose Bowl competition at Labour Day week-end. Both events will be run by the Waimairi club, which is the second-larg-est in New Zealand after Auckland. Most of the yachts cost about $lOOO to build, including $6OO worth of radio gear. Races are sailed according to rules for full-size yachting. The winner of the Jim Beam Trophy regatta, which had 16 races over the two days, was the commodore of the Waimairi club, Kevin Fieldes. Second was Paul Chisholm, and third, lan Douglas.