Old sailors turn out for opening

The Vaka Sailing Championships were held on Saturday – the first major regatta after the previous weekend’s Open Day at the sailing club in Muri.

The Open Day kicked off with a prayer from Mama Tere, a welcome from Anne Tierney, Commodore of Rarotonga Sailing Club, who introduced Patron Bob Boyd to formally open the season.

The large gathering included old salt Don Silk among a really good turnout of senior and junior sailors.

The major trophies for the past season for juniors were presented and the RSC team to the recent Sailing Cook Islands National Optimist Championships were introduced and their placings acknowledged.

A gift of a photo album of their sailing was presented with enthusiastic applause from club members.

Winner Sam Reid, fourth Jordan Howley, fifth Arii Metuarau, eighth and second girl Eseta Aliaoaumouna, seventeenth Ioane Moore, eighteenth Maeva Aliaoaunouna acquired themselves well in trying conditions and rewarding their coach Tony Heays with good placings.

The fleet then launched themselves into the trophy races of the day.

The first being Pags Trophy for the first race of Opening Day and the second being the new series for the Anniversary Day Regatta – the first race ever in the club was on October 15, 1940, so this series will be raced over all the races of Opening day each year.

A new shield for each of the fleets was presented by people who had put early input into the specific fleet’s such as the Tangaroa Vaka Trophy donated by the designer Thomas Koteka.

The Optimist Trophy donated by Peter Heays, who did so much to establish Optimists in the Cook Islands the Sunburst Trophy donated by Island Craft in honour of Ron Powell senior who built the first sunburst to hit the water in Rarotonga.

The laser trophy donated by the Tierney Family who introduced the Laser to the Cook Islands.

If you would like to try sailing just come along on a Saturday or ring Anne 28243 or Tony 59455.