World Champ Teen Northland Sailor Of The Year

World champion dinghy sailor – and Far North teenager - Ben Lutze has been named Northland Sailor of the Year for 2008. (subs: crrct 2008)

The Taipa-based 17-year-old was nominated for the annually presented Northland Regional Council award by the Northland Yachting Association.

Northland Regional Council Chairman Mark Farnsworth says Ben’s sailing career began in 2001 when as a nine-year-old he joined the Taipa Sailing Club and completed a ‘learn to sail’ programme.

A flair for sailing saw Ben compete successfully at national events in Optimist dinghies, before moving into the Splash class where his performance continued to improve. Selected as a member of an 11-strong New Zealand squad, he won the 2008 Splash World Championships in Portugal in July last year.

Ben has now moved into the Laser class and is aiming for selection in the Yachting New Zealand youth team which will compete in Brazil in July.

Mr Farnsworth says despite his youth, Ben’s dedication and successes make him an ideal recipient of the Sailor of the Year trophy.

The trophy he received at a ceremony in Whangarei today (subs: Weds 25 Feburary) was first presented by the Whangarei Harbour Board in 1964 and was then known as the ‘Northland Blue Water Trophy’. It was rededicated in 1995 by the Northland Regional Council as the Northland Sailor of the Year trophy.

Mr Farnsworth says the award can be made “for all or any acts or services, which either directly or indirectly have the effect of promotion, advancement or betterment of the sport of yachting”.

These include:

• Design and building of boats.
• Administrative services to the sport on a regular basis
• Outstanding examples of seamanship or sailing ability in both competitive and non-competitive spheres.
• Outstanding examples of sportsmanship.
• Services in the promotion and encouragement of active participation in the sport of yachting.

ENDS

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