Eventual winner Henry South, a year 12 pupil at John McGlashan College, won the event on countback after finishing equal with Bayfield High School pupil Kaya Reese (14) and Logan Park High School pupil Anna Walrond (13).
Sixteen boats competed in four races on Saturday, but were unable to race on Sunday as the winds were too strong. However, it was a good weekend for the yachting class, which is rapidly becoming popular.
It was only recently that the O'Pen BIC was recognised as an official class by Yachting New Zealand. A skiff design, it is proving popular with sailors aged from 10 to 19, acting as a good transition into the 29er, which was a stepping stone into the Olympic 49er class.
Former Olympic gold medallist and America's Cup winner Sir Russell Coutts had been influential in the class and coaching many young sailors in Dunedin, Wanaka and Queenstown. He had been taking his charges to bigger regattas two at a time, coaching them for the weekend.
Two to benefit from such coaching included Reese and Walrond, who recently returned from the New South Wales O'Pen Cup in Sydney.
Anna Leslie, a trustee of the Ravensbourne Yachting Trust, said that involvement had benefits for those in the region.
``I think it's paying off going to the bigger regattas, and being coached by Russell is obviously getting the skills up. It definitely makes a difference.''
The class' South Island championships will be held in Nelson next month, and Dunedin willhost the national championships in January, for which about 60 boats are expected.
- by Jeff Cheshire
