Awesome weekend of Skiff Sailing ahead on Waitemata

6:45 AM Thu 3 Dec 2009 GMT

'Fresh Winds and spectacular rides expected with fresh conditions forecast - 12ft Skiff NZ Team Trials' Mike, Garrick Keys, Cameron Click Here to view large photo

Hot on the heels of the Auckland Champs weekend a fort night ago run in conjunction with the 18's, the nation's 12ft Skiffs will assemble on mass for the Interdominon Trials this weekend at the Auckland Sailing Club, Okahu Bay. Racing starts 1pm on Friday afternoon (4 Dec) and concludes on Sunday (6 Dec).

With fresh easterlies and an outgoing tide on Friday afternoon there promises to be plenty of spectacular action for spectators along the Tamaki waterfront, Orakei Wharf and North Head.

The Auckland pair of Tim Bartlett and Adam Millar in Frankenskiff will be the team to beat on the back of their recent form in the Auckland Champs. However they will be chased hard by Taupo's Nice Action Too (Hamish Hey & Mike Candy), Wellington's As good As It Gets (Glen Armstrong & John Schultz) and the Auckland Crews on Dimesnion Polyant Sailcloth (Simon Ganley & Rod Chave) and Design Source (Paul MacIntosh and Keny Fyfe).

The weekend will also see the return of a number of crews from 18ft skiff duties with 2009 National Champions Nuplex (Alex Vallings and Chris Kitchiner) also being a crew to watch and very much an unknown quantity for the the other crews, as Vallings, director of the innovative company C-Tech always has a new rig or sail development plan up his sleeve.

Close racing expected for NZ Team trials - 12ft Skiff NZ Team Trials - Mike, Garrick Keys, Cameron Click Here to view large photo

The free easterlies forecast for Friday are predicted to ease over the weekend, which should the crews using their smaller 3rd and 4th rigs on Friday, 2 Rigs on Saturday and going for the monster No 1 rigs on Saturday. But hey... thats for 'Huey' the weather god to preside over and this author is not putting money on reig selections just yet. Suffice to say the weekend should provide of range of conditions providing and excellent opportunity for the kiwi team to measure themselves, test their full sail wardrobe and enjoy some close racing.

The top 12 boats in the fleet will earn selection for the Kiwi Team to take on the Aussies in the 50th Barfoot and Thomson Inter Dominion Champs to be run from the Auckland Sailing Club from Jan 9 - 17, 2100

by Hamish Hey