Cook Islands sailors are bouncing back from disappointing performances at the New Zealand Laser Nationals in Wellington earlier in the year with some fantastic racing at the Sail Auckland regatta.

National sailors Taua Elisa, Helema Williams and Aquila Tatira raced in the laser nationals in Wellington however substandard boats and gear saw the sailors retire early from the races.

Due to the equipment failure, the local sailors were eager to secure better vessels in Auckland for the regatta.

Helema Williams says that the team didn’t have a good experience at the regatta.

“Wellington was a bit too cold for us – but despite the cold weather and bad conditions of the boats we still had a good time with our families, other sailors and the hosts who billeted us,” says Williams.

“We are hungry to get better placings in the Sail Auckland regatta – we can’t wait. Bring it on!”

Taua, Williams and Tatira rigged up on February 1 for the Auckland Anniversary Day regatta – a three-race event.

The trio really enjoyed a frisky and demanding weather exercise and all did well with placings in the top bunch.

With Williams’ injured eye from Wellington fully healed, four good boats secured and the arrival of final team member Teau McKenzie – Team Cook Islands was eager to hit the water.

For the Sail Auckland regatta, a total of 15 classes are competing with the biggest fleet being the Laser Class.

The Regatta is an ISAF Grade 1 event with a high quality international contingent racing in the event as part of their build up for the London Olympics.

Team Cook Islands report that conditions in the lead up practice days had been kindly with clear or lightly overcast conditions and 18 to 21 knot winds.

After much anticipation, Sail Auckland 2012 began day one in near perfect conditions for 237 sailors in the Olympic, Paralympic and other invited classes.

The laser standard fleet (men open) has 29 starters – Taua Elisa Henry scored 20, 26, 22 for the day, finishing in 20th place.

The Laser Radial Fleet has 33 starters, and breaks into sub titles for women, masters and youth male and female.

Helema Williams finished day one in 14th place overall and fourth in the women’s radial fleet.

Aquila Tatira, in his first year of competing in the Laser Radial class finished with 18, 26, 20 and 22nd overall.

He holds 10th place in the Laser Radial youth male category.

Teau McKenzie is one of only three Laser Radial youth female competitors and she finished in 27, 29, 29 in the overall fleet in 30th place and third in her class.

Elisa found the going hard in the Standard Laser Fleet starting well on two of three races but losing out in the bigger shifts of the afternoon.

Williams also found the going hard with big losses to the shifting wind from initial good places.

Tatira suffered the same fate with very good places mid fleet being aced by the shifts but he is showing great promise in the Laser Radial and with more and varied competition will learn to identify and sail the shifts.

Sailing Cook Islands’ Anne Tierney says that Tatira’s work downwind is improving in competitiveness with every race.

McKenzie has sailed a very gutsy regatta to date in the Radial Class.

“I give her top marks for sticking to the races and gathering in a few sailors,” reports Tierney.

“I have been on a rescue boat for the regatta and although we only had two sailors unable to complete yesterday – today we had to rescue three sailors who were exhausted and couldn’t continue racing! I guess that’s a cumulative effect after two days.”

Racing continues for the local sailors in Auckland.