Picton dinghy sailors provide the winning edge

Picton has New Zealand's best dinghy sailors, but on Tuesday night the youngsters showed that they also know how to handle bigger boats, helping Neil Croad sail his High Society to the open division win in the Waikawa Boating Club's Vinings Spring Twilight Series.

Teenagers Scott Fyfe, Declan and Taylor Burn and Josh Edmonds joined Tim and Chris Goodyer and three generations of the Croad family – Neil, son David and grandson Matt – on the Davidson 37, which took both line and handicap honours.

"These boys are good," Neil Croad said.

"I steer, David calls the shots, but tonight's very good win was very much about young people who can read the conditions and know how to get the best out of a boat."

The Ross 930 special Slingshot, with new part-owner Clive Ballett on it, was second in the open division, while Bill Richards was third in Panic Knot.

Lotus 9.5 Satu, previously a regular winner in division two, now sails in division one, where for the first time in this series, Ron Manning took out first place.

The runner-up was Johnny Reader's Spirit Wind and third was Ben Ensor's Vendetta.

In division two, Bryan Morrison started last but picked the wind shifts to overtake all others in his Noelex 25 Vision with regular crew Elaine Bassin and Katja Rummel.

Ron van Velzen on the Pacific 38 Vanquish was second, and Aaron Blackmore with his Lidgard 32 Bavaria third.

In the eighth race in the series, 51 boats competed in the three divisions and a commodore's shout in the clubhouse afterwards.

- The Marlborough Express