Australia Takes On Oceania

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s winning combination of Seve JARVIN, Sam NEWTON and Robert BELL will this week take on the best match racers from Oceania. They are heading for Auckland, New Zealand to battle for a place at the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final at the ISAF Grade 2 Regional Final for Oceania.

JARVIN, who moved to 28 in the latest ISAF World Match Race Rankings to be the third highest ranked Australian, and his team will pit themselves against teams from New Zealand, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Japan and the Cook Islands. Simon DICKEY (NZL), representing the host club, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and Japan’s World number 43 Takumi NAKAMURA, are expected to pose the greatest challenge for selection to the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final. Also lining up in the open competition are the Cook Islands’ Jan SIJP, New Caledonia’s Phillipe MAZARD and Teva PILCHART from Tahiti.

In the women’s competition Australia gain automatic entry to the Grand Final as defending champions, where they will be represented by Nicky SOUTER. The battle for the Oceania place in Ireland will be a straight shoot out between New Zealand’s Jess SMYTH and Japan’s Ikuko SAKUDO.

‘The Nations Cup invitation came following our second place in the Australian Match Racing Championships last year when the winning team was unable to take up the offer,’ said JARVIN before they left for Auckland yesterday.

‘Racing in Elliot 6s we think will be an advantage as we have always been a strong combination in this class and our team work and understanding is good. We seem to know exactly what to expect from each other,’ he added.

PALFREY To Offer Support

Well known Star sailor Andrew PALFREY has accompanied the team to Auckland as coach for the four day regatta from 20-23 April.

‘What these boys can do with an Elliott is very impressive but their greatest challenge is that this is an open event so there will be teams of all level of age, skills and experience. They will have to stay switched on, even when they are racing the lesser known teams,’ said PALFREY.

‘Auckland weather at this time of year could also make things tough. They can expect either sunny days with no wind or really windy and cold days, plus the tides are a big factor, it’s like sailing in a river,’ PALFREY added.

Global Event

Held three times previously, the ISAF Nations Cup triggers a pyramid of events, with nations holding club and then national championships to select their teams to attend the Regional Qualifiers.

The ISAF Nations Cup is based on seven ISAF Grade 2 Regional Finals in geographical groups around the world. Each group will host an open and a women’s event, held over a four day period, with the winning teams qualifying to represent their nation and their group at the ISAF Grade 1 Grand Final, at the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, Ireland from 5-9 September.

Open
( – ISAF World Match Race Ranking)

• Seve JARVIN (AUS) – 28


• Takumi NAKAMURA (JPN) – 43


• Simon DICKEY (NZL) – 173


• Jan SIJP (COK) – Not Ranked


• Phillipe MAZARD (FRA) – Not Ranked


• Teva PILCHART (TAH) – Not Ranked

Women
( – ISAF World Match Race Ranking)

• Jess SMYTH (NZL) – 28


• Ikuko SAKUDO (JPN) – 132

ISAF Nations Cup Regional Finals And Qualifying Crews

For a complete list of all the news from the ISAF Nations Cup 2006 CLICK HERE.