Interdominion Schools Team Sailing Championships - Preview: Tasmania versus NZL school sailing
by Peter Campbell 13 Jul 2019 08:57 NZST
13-17 July 2019
Australian schools team racing on the Derwent in June won by Scots College Sydney with Ascham School winning the girls event © Tom Hodge Media
Sailing students from three Hobart secondary schools, Hutchins, Friends and Fahan, will line up against top sailors from New Zealand in the annual Interdominion Schools Team Sailing Championships.
The championships are being sailed on Hobart's River Derwent with competition starting on Sunday and continuing through to Wednesday next.
The Tasmanian school teams, along with the Scots College and Ascham School from Sydney, were the top schools at the hard-fought Australian Secondary Schools Team Racing Championship conducted on the Derwent in June by Sandy Bay Sailing Club.
Scots College, The Hutchins School and The Friends School teams, each comprising teams of three Pacer dinghies sailed by a crew of two students, will race in the Interdominion Open (mixed gender) division against two New Zealand schools, Marlborough Team Sailing and Nelson College.
In the Female division, Ascham School and Fahan School, will compete against just one NZ team, Nelson College for Girls.
"Clashes with international fleet racing commitments have seen teams from both nations lose some key sailors but, nonetheless, strong teams have been selected and there will be a high standard of competition at these Interdominion Championships," Paddy Hodgman, secretary of the Australian Team Sailing Association said today.
"Having very successfully conducted the 2019 Australian Secondary Schools Team Racing Championships in early June, the Sandy Bay Sailing Club is very well placed and thoroughly prepared to deliver excellent support to the Interdominion Championships."
International Race Officer, Nick Hutton from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, will officiate as the Principal Race Officer for the Interdominion Championships.
Racing on the River Derwent will start on Sunday and continue in international team racing format through to next Wednesday, 17 July.