We love highlighting the great things happening in our community and one sporting club that is a shining light is the Murrays Bay Sailing Club. The club has produced some of New Zealand’s finest sailors and for decades has provided healthy enjoyment and fun for our youngsters and their families.

Their achievements have continued in recent times as Murrays Bay has enjoyed unprecedented success in the last 12 months, with no less than six world champions from their little East Coast Bays club.

These world champions have been Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan won the world open 420s; Jackson Keon and Fran Kayrouz won the 29er worlds; Josh Armit won the world youth lasers; Scott Leith won the world master lasers.

With their new clubhouse all complete after a sterling effort by club members and supporters, for the first time ever the club has earned the right to host the Toyota Optimist National Championships over Easter 2019. The Toyota Optimist National Championships will run from April 18th through to the 24th.

"We expect some 280 sailors competing in the Optimist class from around New Zealand,” explained club member and event organiser Scott Leith in late March as preparations were in full swing. “These will be in the Green Fleet – for first timers – and the Open Fleet for experienced sailors under 16 years old. We are also expecting as many as 40 overseas entrants. Sailors will turn up from Saturday April 13th to train at the club.

"All six of our world champions began in the Optimist class at Murrays Bay so it is a breeding ground for champions. Our club member Seb Menzies was a past Optimist national champ and recently won the Wazp nationals as well."

Scott Leith says that North Shore resident and current national champion George Lee Rush is probably the front runner for the regatta, but with 12 races over the week, and only one discard, the pressure will be on all sailors to perform in every race.

Local Murrays Bay Sailing Club hopes (following the latest ranking regatta) show leading New Zealand girl Lucy Leith in good form along with Lucas Day, Naiomi Ferrissey, Jasper Camenzind and the youngest Joe Leith not too far behind. Murrays Bay has over 70 active optimist sailors and will be the largest participating club.

“We want to say a big thanks to our local community and council as well as our great sponsors,” says Scott Leith. “These include both Albany Toyota and Toyota New Zealand, Bayleys Real Estate, NZCT and around 20 other supporters and sponsors. A club like ours could not operate without the wonderful support of the local community and we thank all the local residents in advance for their patience during this week."

As Channel was going to print in late March there was more success for Murrays Bay. Rangitoto College with Optimist sailors Lucy Leith, Naiomi Ferrissey and Alex Hebberd took out the prestigious North of the Bridge teams racing regatta with Westlake Boys in third place. Most of the sailors in both teams are from Murrays Bay Sailing Club.

Great work Murrays Bay Sailing Club! All the best from the Channel Mag team for the nationals!

For more info visit: https://murraysbay.org/