The Trust’s grassroots sports funding paid big dividends this year, with young yachties cleaning up at the Optimist world champs.

 


Since the Trust started grant-making almost 20 years ago, regular small grants have been helping yacht clubs put training boats on the water throughout the region.

This year that long-term support was repaid on the international stage when Chris Steele won the world Optimist champs, Alexandra Maloney was third overall and the top girl racer, while Optimist national champion Logan Dunning-Beck took ninth place.

All three teenagers are from Auckland yacht clubs.

The August competition, raced in Sardinia, Italy, drew 250 competitors from 60 countries.

But just to get there the kiwi team had to fight through 400 New Zealand contenders who wanted a place in the team.

“The Optimist class is one of the most keenly contested in the world,” says Yachting New Zealand CEO Des Brennan, “and these are the best results New Zealand has ever had – top in individual, girls and team aggregate.”