"Chch pair eye worlds" The Press (29/06/2007; pD12)

The Charteris Bay Yacht Club combination matched their third- place finish at the 2005 worlds in Auckland, but only after winning the final race in Mallorca the weekend- before-last to move up from fifth and grab the final podium spot.

Two British crews took gold and silver in the event, the gold fleet comprising 73 crews from eight nations.

Back home in Christchurch, skipper Goodmanson said it was a repeat of their finish in Auckland when "we won the last couple of races and managed to finish third as well".

Goodmanson and his crew have been together since late 2000 and have now been through four world championship campaigns.

"We've had a pretty good record since we've been together, three out of four top-10 placings in the worlds. We've only had one hiccup, in Ireland. Apart from that we've got better and better."

Goodmanson said they were hoping to get conditions that suited them in Melbourne.

"If we can get anywhere between 15 and 20 knots fairly regularly we'll certainly be one of the favourites."

New Zealand had six spots at the worlds, the other boats finishing 31st, 32nd, 37th, 49th and 53rd. National champions Brian and Hayden Bennett from Nelson ran out of time to raise the finance for the trip.

"A Bob each way on board" The Dominion Post (21/03/2007; A11)

The yacht's name is fflorin -- it's a two-Bob boat, crewed by Napier sailors Bob Thomson and Bob Gunson. A florin was two shillings (20 cents), or two bob in slang of the time.

They remember the old currency well. Mr Thomson is 77 and Mr Gunson 76 -- but they are still competitive and fast, in the Flying Fifteen class, where boat numbers begin with FF.

At time of writing, they led their Napier Sailing Club championship outright, and they won a New Year regatta on handicap.

Theirs is a near-50-year partnership. "I joined Bob as the crew -- forward hand -- in the late 1950s," Mr Thomson says. They went different ways for a while, on different types of boats. "Then in 1981, I asked Bob to crew for me and it's been a happy relationship ever since."

It lets them work smoothly together. "Some of the others yell at each other a bit," Mr Gunson observes.

But sailing can be stressful at times. "When it's really windy it's just survival tactics," Mr Thomson says. "Flying Fifteens don't usually capsize -- they have a keel -- but if it's rough, they can fill up with water and it's hard to get it all out. We got caught in a 50-knot squall a couple of years ago, filled up and had to get towed in."

Both started young, but it was hard for youngsters to get a boat. There was no training. Mr Thomson crewed on other boats for years before getting his own.

Mr Gunson met his wife, Shirley, through the sailing club. "Her father had a very nice keeler," he recalls. "She's probably been with the club longer than anyone, she used to come here with her father as a child."

Mr Gunson's love of the sea, which began with yachting, led to a commercial fishing career.

Mr Thomson was an electrical engineer and built up a sizeable repair and retail electrical business. "But I never let work get in the way of sailing, and my wife, Judith, has always been very understanding," he says.

The Bobs have a competitive spirit but don't get too upset if things don't go well.

The club fuss over their winning the New Year regatta handicap prize made Mr Thomson go bright red. "I'm a shrinking violet."

When not sailing, Mr Gunson is a family man. Mr Thomson? "I think about sailing."

CAPTION: Two men and a boat: Bob Gunson, left, and Bob Thomson. It's called fflorin because it's a two-Bob boat.

"Yachting champions set sights on world title" The Press (02/02/2006; D8)

Third in the 2005 world contest at Auckland behind Australian and British crews, Goodmanson said yesterday he and Rowlands were planning a busy programme leading up to the 2007 world event in Spain.

Provided suitable return transport can be arranged for their title-winning boat Ffortune, Goodmanson and Rowlands intend racing at the Australian nationals off Melbourne next January.

They finished fourth in the corresponding event at Adelaide last summer and would be assured of crossing tacks with several Australian crews who were also rated in the world's top 10.

But their main southern hemisphere target is the 2006 New Zealand championship and world selection trials at Nelson a month after the Melbourne regatta.

Goodmanson and Rowlands have dominated the Flying Fifteen scene in this country in recent years, winning three of the last four national titles. They were also the leading New Zealanders when the 2005 series doubled as the pre- worlds contest.

Last weekend's victory in the Bay of Islands was achieved despite a comparatively quiet build-up and in conditions which did not suit them.

"It was pretty shifty, light to moderate, not what we really like," said Goodmanson. "It was more of a bonus for us to win in those conditions."

With the programme running behind schedule, four races were held on the last day. The Charteris Bay crew, already comfortably clear of the fleet, concentrated on finishing in the first three placings.

Their overall record of five wins, two seconds, and a third meant Goodmanson and Rowlands did not have to start in the ninth heat.

Instead, they went for a well-earned beer to toast their success.

"Williams' status enhanced with world title" The Nelson Mail (31/03/2005; 22)

Williams, who moved to Nelson from Auckland in January, was a decisive winner in the silver regatta - one of three divisions contested in the 90-strong Flying 15s fleet - to return home with the Windebank Trophy. Sailors also contested the classic and open divisions.

A member of Auckland's Royal Akarana Yacht Club, Williams and her crew Richard Fletcher won four of the seven races sailed between March 12-18, while also claiming a second and third. Her lead was such that she was not required to sail the seventh and final race, finishing three points clear of the second-placed Auckland boat. An Australian crew was third, five points behind.

Williams has been sailing Flying 15s - a six-metre, keeler class - for four years and also won the North Island silver division title in Auckland earlier this year. This was her first world title.

A lack of wind created problems early in the series although all seven races were completed with winds increasing to 15 knots on the last day. Another Nelson sailor, John Leydon and his crew Richard Hawkins, finished 20th in the 70-strong open fleet.

Williams, 35, is marketing manager at NMIT and has yet to decide whether she will defend her title in Majorca in 2007.

"Canterbury team third" The Press (19/03/2005; F4)

"A bit of breeze came up and that suited us," said Goodmanson yesterday of their stunning surge through the 70-boat fleet.

"Most Cantabrians do well in regattas with a breeze. We don't get a lot of light weather down the (Lyttelton) harbour."

For much of the contest it seemed Goodmanson and Rowlands would fill a very creditable top-six position over- all, as well as being the leading New Zealand crew.

They were able to discard a disappointing 17th from the opening race, then strung together four encouraging placings between sixth and 10th, and were lying sixth with two heats remaining.

Their first win in three world championships propelled them into third on Thursday afternoon, behind eventual winners Nick and Janet Jerwood (Australia) and runners-up Charles Apthorp and Alan Green (Britain).

Although Goodmanson and Rowlands could not overtake the two crews ahead of them in yesterday's final race, their own position was still very much at risk.

"The worst scenario was that we could have dropped from third to ninth in the last race. There were only about 10 points separating those positions," said Goodmanson.

They had uneasy memories of the Australian championships at Adelaide last January, when they slipped from third to fifth on the last day.

But with the prevailing conditions still including their favoured "bit of a breeze", Goodmanson and Rowlands not only kept well ahead of their immediate challengers but won yesterday's race to finish with a concession of 36 points.

The Jerwoods lost 29 points and Apthorp and Green 33. Australians Graeme Lillington and Edmond Repsevicius were fourth, eight points behind the Cantabrians.

Goodmanson and Rowlands have sailed together since 2000, when they won a national title at the first attempt. Goodmanson and Rowlands will now turn their attention towards the 2007 world championships in Spain.

"Yachting: Keelers shipshape for a Flying start" The New Zealand Herald (12/03/2005)

The class has developed over the years with only minor changes in design and sail.

The accent has always been on sailing skill rather than technical innovation and big budgets, which is probably why the class has prospered in New Zealand.

Auckland will be seeing the world's best in action on the inner harbour and Hauraki Gulf when the 15th world championships begin today out of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club. Ninety-seven competitors from eight countries will be competing in the event, which finishes on Friday.

The Brits will be defending the title won by the husband-and-wife team of Barry and Sue Parkin in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, in 2003. Chasing them will be sailors from Hong Kong, Ireland, Europe and Australia and a strong contingent of locals.

The regatta for classic ff15s will be sailed between Rangitoto and Mission Bay in seven races, and as many as 25 boats will be chasing the gongs.

The main event will be sailed on the open water north of Rangitoto in the general area of the America's Cup courses, with possibly 72 boats taking part.

The field includes five former world champions and a strong team of New Zealand sailors honed in top competition from Whitbread-Volvo to Olympic sailing. The national championships finished on Wednesday with the best-performed New Zealanders being Aaron Goodmansen and Alister Rowlands in fifth place. The top four spots went to English and Australian crews.

Among the top international teams are Britons Steve Goacher and Phil Evans. They won three worlds in a row - in 1995, 1997 and 1999 - and are among the favourites.

Top Australians are Grant Alderson and Dean McCauley.

Fox designed the Flying 15 for Prince Philip, who is patron of the class.

"Yachting: Nationals chance to tune up for worlds" The New Zealand Herald (05/03/2005)

Ninety-seven boats from eight countries will compete in the national championships regatta which is being sailed in the Waitemata Harbour and inner Hauraki Gulf starting tomorrow.

Hosted by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club, the national championships are a timely buildup to the world championships which start next Saturday and involve 71 boats. For the 34 New Zealand crews taking part the nationals are a chance to qualify for the world championships - the top 11 Kiwi crews will go through.

The defending national champion is Emirates Team New Zealand trimmer Rob Salthouse.

Salthouse will not compete in the nationals but hopes to sail in the worlds. His boat is being sailed in the nationals by Justin Ferris, brother of Olympic Yngling sailor Sharon.

Other New Zealand crews to watch are the Christchurch combination of Aaron Goodmanson and Alistair Rowlands, who finished ninth in the 2003 world championships and former world champion Barry Finlayson and Nigel Mannering.

Also competing is Richard Macalister, Commodore of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club.

Macalister, who has a long history in matchracing and sailed the 1981 round the world race on Sir Peter Blake's Ceramco, is teaming up with Andrew Brown, who competed in the last Olympics in the 470 class. Internationally, the man to watch is three time world champion Steve Goacher from Britain.

The Flying Fifteens is a two man dinghy. New Zealand have had a reasonable amount of success in the class. Finlayson won the world championships in 1984 and Roger Craddock claimed the title 10 years later in 1994

The national championships consist of seven races over four days. Racing is scheduled to start daily at 12 noon.

"Flying Fifteen NZ Nationals" Boating New Zealand Magazine (April 2004; 22)

Rob and Dean Salthouse placed fifth in the final race with last year's champions, Aaron Goodmaster and Alister Rowlands placing 9th. This regatta used the bonus points system which rewarded the Salthouses' more consistent scorecard of 3, 4, 1 , 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5 as opposed to Goodmanson and Rowlands' scorecard of 9, 1, 11, 1, 1, 1, 9. Crews could drop two of their worst races; Goodmanson and Rowlands still had to count one of their three worst results which cost them the win. In third place was top-ranked Australian Grant Alderson sailing with Gerald Martin from Napier. With New Zealand sailors sailing well against Alderson, big things are expected for the 15th World Championship which RAYC will run in 12 month's time.

After a rocky start with the weather, the retgatta ran smoothly with no need for the jury during the nine-race series, as crews exonerated themselves on the race course.

"Unhappy day for Kiwi yachties on Dublin Bay" The Timaru Herald (06/08/2003; 12)

It was also a day for learning lessons, according to Timaru's Jeff Morrison, who is competing at the event with Gregor Bowater.

With winds varying from calm to gale force throughout the day's racing even the overall winner had not won a race, Morrison said.

But the time for experimenting was over, he said, with the real thing starting today.

Morrison said the Kiwis weren't too far off the pace with Business, NZL3754, leading the first triangle in race four and Fortune, NZL3739, sailed by Cantabrians Alister Rowlands and Aaron Goodmason coming in 11th overall.

While the whole fleet got away on the first attempt from an even start line most of the Kiwis got it wrong by going the wrong way on the first beat.

This was disastrous for the bulk of the New Zealand crews, who had followed each other like sheep to slaughter.

Morrison said the starts were critical because when the boats are of one design class, the speed is similar.

Morrison and Bowater's run wasn't helped yesterday when they were pinged by the on-water jury and had to do a penalty 720-degree turn in race four. They had managed to hit another boat that had parked itself on its mark pushed down by the tide.

Best of the rest were again the Wellington pair of Guy Dawson and Michael Morris who followed up their 33rd in race one with a 34th yesterday, to lie in 31st overall. Willcock/Pearson improved with 41st yesterday and are now 54th, while Coulam/Rekke were 47th yesterday and are 59th overall, just one place ahead of Morrison/Bowater who finished 58th in race two.

Trow/Robinson showed consistency if nothing else with a second 62nd place and finished last of the NZ crews yesterday behind Dallimore/Kiff who were 57th yesterday and lie 68th overall.

"Bad day for NZ Flying 15 crews"The Timaru Herald (05/08/2003; 10)

The seven New Zealand crews ended up on the wrong side of a big shift just after racing started, dashing their chances of good placings in the first day of competition.

Wellington crew Guy Dawson and Michael Morris were the only crew to finish in the top half of the field at 33rd place in the 77-strong field.

Timaru man Jeff Morrison and team mate Gregor Bowater arrived home in 56th place.

At least yesterday's result was better than in the pre-worlds racing when the duo found themselves cited by the on-water jury. They had to complete a penalty 720-degree turn in race four for hitting a boat that had parked itself on the mark pushed down by the tide.

When not sailing the New Zealand crews have been going through haka practice in preparation for Kiwi Night to be hosted at the national yacht club tonight to promote the 2005 world championships in Auckland.

"Kiwi boats off pace in Ireland" The Timaru Herald (31/07/2003; 11)

The first race on Tuesday sailed off to a clean start but the boats at the pin end of the line found themselves in trouble halfway down the first beat after earlier being favoured by a windshift.

The wind built during the race and the sea changed a lot as the tide turned. Of the Kiwis, Jaffa was 24th and Ffox Hat 28th.

The second race was off to a ragged start with the black flag sending a number of boats home early.

The committee boat end was favoured and with the seas building, caution prevailed. The conditions led to some magnificent reaches and runs with the boats surfing the waves and plunging down the wave fronts.

Ffox Hat finished 10th, Ffortune 14th and Jaffa 16th.

This was a better effort but still some way off the pace.

"Canty crews in worlds" The Press (30/07/2003; D12)

National champions Aaron Goodmanson and Alistair Rowlands (sailing Fortune), who finished ninth at the 2001 world event in South Africa, lead the New Zealand contingent.

They are being supported by Charteris Bay club-mates Brett Willcock and Dave Pearson (Ffiddlestix), and Jeff Morrison and Gregor Bowater (Ffox Hat).

Crews from other centres are Jason Trow and Graeme Robinson (Napier, sailing Bussineff), Guy Dawson and Michael Morris (Wellington, Niffty), Craig Coulam and Adrienne Rekke (Auckland, Explosive), and Peter Dallimore (Tauranga) and Sarah Kiff (Auckland, Fflyte of Ffancy).

Entries from the United Kingdom, where the class is particularly popular, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Hong King, Philippines, Malaysia, and France are expected.

New Zealand has invariably been competitive in previous world championships, with Aucklander Roger Craddock and Napier's Barry Finlayson having skippered winning yachts.

The New Zealand contingent will first compete in the Irish championships from today.

"Good conditions for Flying 15s" The Timaru Herald (06/02/2003; 24)

Results of the three races sailed yesterday:

Race four:

1st: Niffty (Guy Dawson and Michael Morris, Wellington).

2nd: Ffortune (Aaron Goodmanson and Alaister Rowland, Lyttelton).

3rd: Ffinisterre (Chris Lee and Michelle Poore, Lyttelton).

Race five:

1st: Explosiff (Craig Coulan and Adrian Rekke, Auckland).

2nd: Ffox Hat (Jeff Morrison and Gregor Bowater, Timaru).

3rd: Michelle (Barry Findlayson and Kerry Sixtus, Napier).

Race six:

1st: Ffortune (Aaron Goodmanson and Alaister Rowland, Lyttelton).

2nd: Busineff (Jason Trow and Graeme Robinson, Napier).

3rd: Ffox Hat (Jeff Morrison and Gregor Bowater, Timaru).

Overall standings after six races:

1st: Ffortune (Aaron Goodmanson and Alaister Rowland, Lyttelton).

2nd: Busineff (Jason Trow and Graeme Robinson, Napier).

3rd: Ffox Hat (Jeff Morrison and Gregor Bowater, Timaru).

Two more races are scheduled for today and the final race on Friday.

"Local crews stack up well" The Timaru Herald (09/03/1999)

Jeff Morrison, sailing with Greg Bowater of Christchurch, and Brett and Colin Willcock were two of the 10 New Zealand crews to qualify for the event in a regatta sailed off Napier last Labour weekend. In the end 12 New Zealand crews competed in the world event.

Of the 94 boats in the pre-world regatta, Morrison and Bowater were 13th, with the Willcock combination 24th.

Of the 72 boats sailing in the world championship regatta Morrison and Bowater ended up 17th on 94 points and the Willcock's 30th (175 points).

Roger Craddock, who won the world regatta held off Timaru in 1994 was the first New Zealander in the fleet in seventh place (53 points) in an event dominated by Englishmen.

"A lot of the Poms went very well, the top four boats were Poms, five and six were Aussie boats, then Roger," Morrison said.

Consistency was key to doing well, he said.

The winning skipper, Steve Goacher, who Morrison and Bowater beat in race five when they came second, ended up well clear of the rest of the fleet on 19 points, while second-placed skipper Mike Hart on 28 points and Alan Bax on 30 rounded out the top three.

The fourth placed crew also finished on 30 points, but Craddock, who finished on 53 could have easily been fourth or fifth, Morrison said.

"Final gamble sinks challenger" Dominion Post (06/02/1998; 28)

They went into the final race just one point ahead of fellow Aucklanders Roger Craddock and Steve Cunnold and were expecting a one-on-one dogfight.

"But we started well and led them to the top mark," said Macalister, a former Wellingtonian. "He had to make a roll of the dice and decided to go left. We went right, where the wind looked more favourable, and that was pretty much the end of the race."

Macalister and Salthouse cruised to third place behind Timaru's Jeff Morrison in first and Napier Ian Morley in second. Craddock was a distant 14th.

Macalister said the calm, 5-10 knot conditions were "quite tricky, more like Auckland than Wellington" and meant tactics were vital.

"We had to sail the percentages," said Macalister, whose worst finish in seven races was fifth. "With the wind shifting like it did, a guy could come out around a corner and pass you. You just had to accept that.

"I'm very happy, though. This was the toughest of the three (title wins). There were a lot of new guys in the fleet and they made it difficult."

Finishing top-five overall achieved another of Macalister's aims: qualification for the world championships in Australia next February.

Craddock was second, Wellington's Andrew Morrison third, Napier's Ian Morley fourth and Auckland's Robin Coutts fifth.

CAPTION — TAKING OFF: Auckland's Roger Craddock and Simon Cunnold round a buoy during the national Flying 15 championships on Wellington Harbour yesterday. They finished runners-up.

"Showdown" The Dominion Post (05/02/1998; 36)

"You need a tie at Cowes, no bull" Timaru Herald (11/07/1997; 14)

Collar and tie are required if they are to gain entry to any Royal Yacht Squadron while they are away but dress shorts will get them into the local squadron.

It is part of the tradition surrounding European yachting and Jeff expects to experience it all at the championships at the Cowes regatta.

This year is a special occasion as the championship celebrates the 50th anniversary of the class which was invented by Cowes designer Uffa Fox.

Morrison and his sailing partner Napier's Graeme Robinson and Timaru father and son combination Brett and Colin Wilcock, are part of an eight-boat team representing New Zealand.

To qualify for the European event the two crews got top eight placings in the national championships in Lyttelton in January.

Their yachts have arrived in Cowes and Morrison follows tomorrow to prepare for the start of racing on July 21.

It is a two-series championship, the first the six-race British Nationals and the second, a seven-day world championship series.

The New Zealand team, which includes 1994 world champions Roger Craddock and Barry Findlayson, will be competing against 120 entries from around the world.

Morrison says he and Robinson hope to get in the top third of the field but they know they will be fighting the conditions.

"They're very different, it is very tidal and it's a high density traffic area.

"Big fleets of 80 to 100 boats will be at the starting line whereas we're used to starting two boats in Timaru or 10 in Christchurch," he said.

"Timaru yachties off to fly flag at Cowes" The Timaru Herald (06/05/1997; 16)

Colin Willcock, his son Brett, and Jeff Morrison will provide two of the nine yachts selected to represent New Zealand at the 50th world championships on the Isle of Wight.

A 12-year sailing bond between Colin and Brett Willcock included five years sailing the two-man fifteens.

"We represented New Zealand in the '94 worlds, hosted here in Timaru, but are aiming for a better finish than midway up the fleet this time," Colin said.

Timaru skipper Jeff Morrison's yacht, Catinablenda, will join the Willcocks Ffiddlestix aboard a container ship for the voyage to Britain this month.

Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand and current title-holders Britain had confirmed their entries and around 70 fifteens were expected for the 12-day regatta.

"There's no outright team to beat. Australia and Britain have both held four titles and New Zealand two," Colin said.

"Many of the British and Irish competitors are used to lake sailing, but those with local knowledge of the Solent will be the real competition," he said.

The yachts will have to contend with fickle winds, sand banks and vicious tidal streams when sailing off Cowes.

Brett, 23, is the skipper of FFiddlestix and Colin said Brett's experience overshadowed his own.

"Brett's trained in a variety of boats, courses and conditions since he was a youngster.

"He keeps a level head under pressure and that means less hassles for me, the crew."

"Boat name reflects top yachtsman's reputation" The Dominion Post (05/05/1995; 24)

SOMEONE who sniffs out the wind - a "whiffler". That's one way to describe Auckland sailor Roger Craddock, named 1994 Yachtsman of the Year and recipient of the Bernard Fergusson Trophy for winning the world Flying Fifteen title.

"Whiffler" is also the name of Craddock's world-beating boat.

This match-up between boat name and the man's reputation is no coincidence, for Craddock is renowned for his ability to pick and play windshifts brilliantly.

Like most of his ilk, this champion sailor is also determined. Roger Craddock's determination centres on thorough preparation - the boat, body fitness and studying the race course.

This preparation enables him to put all effort into concentrating on tactics.

In typical fashion, Craddock has already started preparing for the next World Championships - even though the 1995 Hong Kong event is still some six months away. "I like to go into an international competition with the boat thoroughly tuned, and the choice of sails reduced to a minimum," he says.

That way, Craddock and crew Steve Cunnold can concentrate on tactics and picking windshifts. "Once on the water, I get very focused and can concentrate for long periods."

Craddock learned sailing from his elder brother Peter, a boatbuilder. That family tie also enabled Roger to build a couple of his own dinghies. Later in his life that gave him the knowledge to help his Flying Fifteens go fast.

Craddock moved through the yachting ranks after starting off in Dunedin in the P-class, moving on to X-class and from there into Cherubs, in which he won several titles including the inter-university tournament.

In 1970, together with brother Peter, he moved into his first Flying Fifteen, the wooden-hulled Ragamuffin. Later, Ragamuffin spawned several fibreglass hulls, nice yachts but none of them quite as fast as the emerging generation of "Windebank" hulls, whose shape is derived from the famous Windebank boatyard in England.

Hull shape has been a hot issue in the Flying Fifteen fleet, sparking endless debate between the "haves" - those who have a boat with the Windebank hullshape - and the "have nots" - those bobbing about at the end of the fleet. Some of those older boats are still around.

Another champion, Andy Ball, proved at this year's national championships in Napier that Flying Fifteens are all about sailing ability when he steered an old "have not" boat into a top placing, qualifying himself for the World Champs in which he finished second last year. Nevertheless, Ball was still beaten by Craddock, who snatched his eighth national championship title with four first placings in seven races.

Ball and Craddock, together with five or six other combinations, make up a handful of top international sailors in Australia and New Zealand sailing Flying Fifteens. "The balance is made up by enthusiastic amateurs," says Craddock, who describes himself as one of those. "I have never made any money out of sailing and I never will."

Craddock, a well-known Auckland lawyer, says you can't have two careers. But his sailing, with the contrasting focus on physical skills and the sea, helps to maintain enthusiasm for his professional career.

Critics would point out that the Flying Fifteen is more of an old man's boat sailed mostly by amateurs, and that winning a world title in it is not quite the same as cleaning up the rest of the world in say, the 470-class. "It had that reputation in the early days," says Craddock.

That's partly because the Flying Fifteen has a keel and no trapeze, and, says Craddock, because it is such a lovely boat to sail in. That's attracted a lot of old hands.

But Craddock says this no longer holds true and the sailing is very competitive. "You've got to be fit, strong and determined to win," he says.

Also, Flying Fifteens are demanding tactically. Especially in bigger fleets, one-design keelboat sailing is extremely close because variable conditions don't produce as much variation as can occur between light-weight centreboards.

Some Flying Fifteen crews in the UK are virtual professionals. But the standard of sailing here is also high. Big events such as the nationals attract strong fleets with tough competition. Several young guns hop over from other classes just to have a go at competing in a national event.

This year all got beaten by Craddock, with his 49 years about three decades older than the young shots.

Craddock says he's proud of his Yachtsman of the Year award. "It's rare these days to find an amateur surfacing amongst the ranks of high-profile professionals," he says. "I hope it will encourage other persistent amateurs."

"Craddock's award" The Dominion Post (28/04/1995; 30)