The 2026 29er World Championship will feature some of New Zealand’s most promising young sailing talent, with Westlake Girls High School sailors Jess Handley and Bella Jenkins earning selection after a standout domestic season in the highly competitive 29er skiff class.
The pair secured their place on the world stage by finishing first overall at the prestigious Manly Cup earlier this year, a regatta regarded as one of New Zealand youth sailing’s key proving grounds. Their victory confirmed Handley and Jenkins as the country’s leading female 29er combination and highlighted their growing reputation within the national sailing community.
Their success continued throughout the school sailing season. Representing Westlake Girls High School, the duo helped claim the Girls 29er title at the Auckland Secondary Schools Fleet Championships in March, delivering consistently strong performances against many of the region’s top young sailors.
A month later, both sailors again demonstrated their versatility and composure under pressure when they helmed crews during the New Zealand Secondary Schools Teams Racing Championships in April. Their leadership and racing experience played a significant role in Westlake Girls securing a remarkable fourth consecutive national teams racing title, an achievement that further cemented the school’s status as one of the country’s premier youth sailing programmes.
Handley, a Year 13 student, and Jenkins, currently in Year 12, are among just five New Zealand teams selected to compete at the world championships in Kiel, Germany, from 2–9 July 2026. The event is expected to attract the world’s best youth skiff sailors and will provide the Auckland pair with an opportunity to test themselves against elite international competition.
The 29er class is recognised globally as a high-performance pathway class for future Olympic sailors, demanding exceptional teamwork, athleticism, tactical awareness, and boat-handling skill. For Handley and Jenkins, qualification for the world championships represents both the reward for years of dedication and an exciting next step in their sailing development.
