For the fourth consecutive time, the Westlake Girls Sailing team won the Auckland Secondary Schools Teams Racing Championship at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club last week. The three-day event moved into Gold and Silver Fleets after pool play on Day One, and the Girls team faced some of the toughest competition in the country in Gold fleet.
Racing 420’s, they were set to meet Diocesan in a sail-off for the top girls’ school. Westlake’s successes over Auckland Grammar 2, Glendowie College and later St Kent’s helped them to hone their connection for the encounter, which they enjoyed with 1, 2, 3 finishes in both races.
The growth of the sport allowed the school to enter a second crew in the regatta this year who performed impressively in the Silver Fleet.
Now, led by New Zealand Youth Sailor and Captain, Jess Handley, the top team turns its attention to defending its New Zealand Secondary Schools title in New Plymouth later next month.