The 2024 New Zealand Match Racing Championship (NZMRC) wrapped up Sunday 17th November at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron after four thrilling days of Match Racing bringing a wide range of conditions and plenty of action. The event saw 16 teams of skippers and crew including the best of the best seasoned Kiwi match racers, along with up-and-coming youth teams and international entries.
After a brief hiatus from Match racing, former NZMRC champion Rueben Corbett returned to reclaim his title. Corbett, a former Mastercard Youth Training Programme coach put together an incredible team for this year’s event. Corbett teamed up with Guy Pilkington another former YTP coach, Harry Thurston fresh of the back of winning the 2024 Young 88 Owners Nationals and accomplished sailor Tom Benthan.
Pictured from left: Rueben Corbett and his Black Sheep Racing Team of Guy Pilkington, Harry Thurston & Tom Benthan win the 2024 New Zealand Match Racing Championship.
Photo: Live Sail Die / Suellen Hurling
Corbett and team proved experience wins the day against hot up-and-coming talent-CYCA’s Cole Tapper, a 2024 Youth America’s Cup Skipper and World Youth Match Racing No. 2. Corbett won the first two final races before Tapper stole a point in race three, however race four was a match racing masterclass delivered by Corbett’s team where they shut the CYCA team out at the boat. This marks the second year in a row Tapper has fallen shy of clinching the NZMRC title, missing out on the number one spot to Nick Egnot-Johnson and his Knots Racing team in 2023.
Reuben Corbett & team (Boat 4 Barfoot and Thomson) CYCA’s Cole Tapper (Boat 8 Toyota) in the final round of the 2024 New Zealand Match Racing Championships
Photo: Live Sail Die / Suellen Hurling
Pictured: 2024 NZMRC runner ups Cole Tapper and his CYCA team of Jack Frewin, Hamish Vass, Joel Beashel & Chelsea Williams
Photo: Live Sail Die / Suellen Hurling
Yesterday’s racing bought plenty of action as, the top eight skippers after the two from the round robin pools selected their opponents for a super sixteen first-to-two knockout round, with the winner progressing to quarters later that day. While the super sixteen round had some closely fought battles, it did not bring too many changes to the leader board heading into the quarter finals with seven of the top eight ranked teams progressing to the quarter final round.
However, a huge upset came out of the quarter final match executed by RNZYS Performance Programme sailors Josh Hyde and his Waitemata Racing team of Mason Mulcahy, Zach Fong, Cody Coughlan & Sofia Higgott. Hyde and team who were tied 7th after stage one, made it through the super sixteen round to face off against reining NZMRC champion and World No.4 Nick Egnot-Johnson and his Knots racing team. Hyde put on an impressive performance winning two quarter final races back-to-back, knocking out the reigning champion and securing his teams spot in the top four. This momentum carried through in the petit final with Hyde defeating GBR’s Robbie McCutcheon and securing their place on the podium.
Hyde and team are hoping to carry this momentum across to Jeddah next week where they will represent New Zealand and the RNZYS in the 2024 Youth Match Racing World Championship. Hyde and team will be joined by fellow NZMRC competitor- RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme sailor Noah Malpot and his team at the Jeddah event, who also this weekend proved that the next generation of New Zealand Match racers are well and truly here and edging closer to taking over as NZMRC champions.
“The depth of talent that this years’ NZMRC was incredible to see” says RNZYS Performance Sailing Manager Zak Merton, “with multiple Olympians, World Champions, America’s Cup sailors and five past NZMRC champions among the 16 teams, it really goes to show the incredible talent we have here in New Zealand.”
Final standings
- Reuben Corbett, Guy Pilkington, Harry Thurston, Tom Benthan / Kerikeri Cruising Club
- Cole Tapper, Jack Frewin, Hamish Vass, Joel Beashel, Chelsea Williams / Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Josh Hyde, Mason Mulcahy, Zach Fong, Cody Coughlan, Sofia Higgott / RNZYS Performance Programme
- Robert McCutcheon, Chris Steele, Oli Gilmour, Oliver Lloyd / Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
- Noah Malpot, Thomas Saunders, Logan Dunning-Beck, Will Mason, Will Leech / RNZYS Mastercard Youth
Training Programme - Nick Egnot-Johnson, Gavin Brady, Josh Wijohn, Megan Thomson / Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
- Ethan Fong, Hugo McMullen, Maddie Rist, Harry McMullen, Lucas Day / RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme
- Hayden Smith, Robbie Wooldridge Luca Smith, Phoebe Buckland, Austin Candlish / RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme
- Tom Picot, Maeve White, Luc Gladwell, McGregor Jones, Henry Angus / Cercle Nautique Calédonien
- Jordan Stevenson, Matthew Hughes, George Angus, Josh Salthouse / Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
& Max Paul, George Richardson, Nathan Gulliksen, Nick Drummond / Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron - (draw)
- Braedyn Denney, Teaghan Denney, Tavish Minielly, Wilbur Stanley, Nicole Minielly / Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club
- Rory Sims, Vivien Webster, Marin Armstrong-Wills, Alissa Marshall, Aiden Beauchamp / RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme
- Sam Street, Richard Schultheis, Tim Howse, Chester Duffett / New Plymouth Yacht Club & Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
- Sam Scott, Sophie-Jo Hawkins, Jolly Koska, Finn Balchin, Jacob Furniss / RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme
& George Pilkington, Tom Pilkington, Dylan Forsyth, Greta Pilkington / Royal New Zealand Yach Squadron - (draw)
