Murray Jones leads Nespresso Youth International Match Racing Cup

Auckland, NZL (February 26, 2016) – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Skipper Murray Jones takes the lead after Day Two of the Nespresso Youth International Match Racing Cup.

CYCA Skipper Murray Jones with his crew of Angus Williams, Benjamin Robinson and Tara Blanc-Ramos have broken away from the pack finishing on top after today’s racing. Jones was “pretty happy with the result” and feels his team are settling into their new positions well. Jones laughed when asked if he felt much pressure to bring the cup back to CYCA this year “nah not really, were just happy to be doing well so far.”

Second placed after the round robin is Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club William Eastman, Eastman saying “it may be an improvement on yesterday, but it wasn’t as easy out there as the results may show”.

Third qualifying RNZYS Youth Training Programme skipper George Anyon had a good day losing only two matches to both Jones and Eastman. Anyon who has new blood Patrick Haybittle joing his usual team of Josh Wijohn and Logan Andresen for the regatta Anyon said Haybittle is “fitting in well and learning more each race”.

Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club skippers Clare Costanzo and William Dargaville qualified 4th and 5th respectively. Costanzo is the highest place female skipper after the first round robin.

6th placed after the first round robin is first time match race skipper, RNZYS YTP Matthew Hughes. After no wins yesterday he only lost one match today and is in a strong position heading into the quarter finals.

Cercle Nautique Caledonien skippers Cyril Fortin and Tom Picot are placed 7 & 8th and are competing at a high standard with Picot beating Jones in flight 9.

An unbreakable tie for 9, 10 & 11 exists between RNZYS YTP skipper Stephanie Kirkman, RSYS skipper Claudia Thackray and RPNYC skipper Zoe Bennett. These girls will have their final placing decided tomorrow in a tie breaker.

The event will progress into the second stage quarter finals tomorrow where the highest ranked skippers will get to choose their first opponents.

The 2016 Nespresso Youth international Cup, the most prestigious youth match racing cup in New Zealand, is raced at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Elliott 7 keelboats on February 25-28. Teams from three different countries and six yacht clubs are competing in the Auckland Harbour.

Event website – Scoreboard – Facebook

Report by Georgia Derrick, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.