NZL Wins Splash World Champs

Declan Burn from Picton is the new Splash World Champion, securing the world title at the regatta just concluded in Pwllheli, Wales. There were 111 entries from eight nations.

The combined results of the New Zealand sailors have won them the Nations Trophy for the highest scoring national team. The 2009 team is on a par with the 2008 New Zealand Splash team which also came away with the world title, going to Taipa’s Ben Lutze, and the Nations Trophy.
Burn won the title convincingly with a 17 point margin at the regatta end. Club mates of Burns at the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club, Scott Fyffe and Josh Edmonds finished 5th and 7th respectively. James Little was also inside the top ten in 9th place.

“Declan went into the final day of the regatta with a 32 point lead and only had to sail conservatively to hold his lead,” reports his father, Rob Burn from Pwllheli. “A 21st in race one was enough to secure the Championship without sailing the last race, he did anyway and finished 17th, just behind team mates Josh and Scott.”

“The forecast was for a strong, building breeze throughout the day. By breakfast time it was well and truly up, the sailors launched on time and reached out onto the course very quickly. The swell was building as the wind rose so all knew they were in for a hard day ahead.”

“The first race wasn't so good for most of the Kiwis; Declan had a heart stopping capsize but recovered quickly, Scott Fyfe also. The waves were large by then and the downwind was either exhilarating or terrifying. Some of the Kiwis wished there was another race as they were getting to grips with the conditions,” says Rob Burn.

“The Kiwi Team has really enjoyed Pwllheli, the camaraderie of the Sailing club and mixing with all the other competitors, parents and supporters.”

New Zealanders won the Splash World Championships in 2006, when Blair Tuke took the title, and also in 2008 when Ben Lutze from Taipa, Northland became Splash world champion. New World Champ, Declan Burn, was a part of the 2008 team also finishing 16th at last year’s Splash World Championships sailed in Portugal.

A popular youth class in parts of New Zealand, in Belgium and the Netherlands, the Splash is a single-handed dinghy typically sailed by up and coming talent between the ages of 14 to 18 years.

New Zealand will host the 2010 Splash World Championships off Takapuna in Auckland.

For full results visit the regatta website.

2009 Splash World Championship
New Zealand’s Final Results

1st Declan Burn
5th Scott Fyffe
7th Josh Edmonds
9th James Little
11th Michael Cate
35th Hamish Powrie
38th Jordan McKenzie-Brown
40th Melissa Gibbs
48th Bradley Taylor-Swan
105th (43rd Silver Fleet) Sebastian Masters