The Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series heads to the Coromandel coast this weekend, with the fleet gathering in Whitianga for two days of one-design racing on 1-2 August.
Whitianga offers sheltered water, a scenic coastline and dependable breezes, qualities that have made it a regular fixture on New Zealand's sailing calendar. The Elliott 5.9, a three-person trailer yacht, is built around exactly this kind of mobility. Crews tow their boats between regattas rather than staying tied to one home club, and that's part of what's kept fleet numbers strong season after season.
The overall series standings set up plenty to race for. Revelry arrives with a clear lead after two strong opening regattas, their results holding up across changeable conditions. Three regattas remain after this one, so the lead is far from decided.
Behind Revelry, the fight for second overall is tight: three points separate Bloodline, Zoot Allures, Reggae Shark and Dirty Circus. Any of the four could still finish on top of that group, or above it, by season's end.
Shapeshifter missed the opening regatta but returned to win round two narrowly. The Traveller Series points system doesn't heavily penalise a single missed event, so another strong result in Whitianga would put them back in overall contention.
Slam Dunk had a rough run through the early rounds by their own standards. Whitianga's open courses and tactical racing suit a crew of their experience, and a good weekend here would go a long way toward getting their series back on track.
Short-course windward-leeward racing is on the schedule, and with margins this tight across the fleet, results in Whitianga will shape the standings heading into the back half of the series. Racing starts Saturday morning, 1 August, with sailing instructions and regatta details, including the social programme at the new Buffalo Beach Front Club on Whitianga's foreshore, available on the class website.
