To commemorate the inauguration
of the World Blind Sailing movement at the First International
Blind Sailing Regatta sailed from its premises in Auckland in
1992, and the subsequent developments which have resulted in
the formation of Blind Sailing International and the First World
Blind Sailing Championships, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron,
in 1997, donated to Blind Sailing International a trophy for
World Competition. The Cup is inscribed:
The Squadron Cup
FOR BLIND SAILING INTERNATIONAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND YACHT SQUADRON 1997
Rules Governing Competition for the trophy
1. The Cup shall be known as
The Squadron Cup.
2. The cup is for competition between Blind Sailing Crews at
World Blind Sailing Championships conducted under the auspices
of and approved by Blind Sailing International.
3. The Cup is for TEAM competition. A Team consists of three
crews, one of B1 sight category, one of B2 sight category, one
of B3 sight category.
4. Each crew will score points for each race under the Low-Point
Scoring System as defined by the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS)
Current Race Scoring Systems, published by The International
Sailing Federation, (ISAF).
5. Points scored by the three crews shall be aggregated to form
a Team Score. The lowest Team Score shall determine the winner.
6. Teams which enter boats in less than the three categories
shall score points for the finishing places of all races designated
as counting for the competition one more than the number of boats
entered in the category(ies) in which they did not enter.
7. Sailing Instructions for the event shall designate the number
of races which will count for scoring for the Cup, as required
under current RRS Rules.
8. The Cup is to be accepted by the Manager of the winning team
on behalf of his/her team and to be held by that Country/State's/Organisation's
Managing Committee and held in trust until the next event, when
it shall be produced and handed to the host country's Organising
Committee.Should an event not take place the cup shall be returned
to its owner, Blind Sailing International.
The Colin Spanhake
Trophy
Presented by the Spanhake
family 2005 for perpetual competition
in the B1 division of the World Blind Sailing Championship
Kotuku
The feathers of Kotuku were highly
prized by Maori and were used to adorn the heads of chiefs both
in life and after death. Their feathers were kept in elaborately
carved boxes, "Waka Huia."
In Maori oratory, the most telling compliment is to liken someone
to Kotuku. It symbolizes everything rare and beautiful. It was
said that Kotuku is an inhabitant of the nether world, the spirit
land of Reinga, and that an old funeral chant ends with these
words to the departed: "Ko to kotuku to tapui, e Tama -
e" "Kotuku is now thy sole companion, O my son!".
So seldom does Kotuku appear in any locality that "rare
as the Kotuku" has passed into a proverb among Maori.
Colin Spanhake, Organiser of
the First International Blind Sailing regattaand founding chasirman
of BSI, wished to donate this trophy to Blind Sailing Internatioal
and asked me to select a suitable range for him to choose from.
Colin fell ill and while in bed was presented with a range of
photographs of prospective trophies. He, on first choice chose
a traditional wood carving that represented the Bird "Kotuku".
Having negotiated the form of the trophy a suitable carver was
employed to construct the trophy. On completion Colin was contacted
for the initial showing and Blind Sailing was informed that he
had passed away the evening prior. He never did get to see the
finished trophy.
New Zealand Maori are a very
spiritual race and references to the Kotuku in Maori Legend certainly
fit the circumstance.
"He Kotuku rerenga
tahi"
"A Kotuku's flight is seen but once"
Rules Governing Competition
for the Colin Spanhake trophy
1. The Cup shall be known as
The Colin Spanhake Trophy.
2. The cup is for competition between Blind Sailing Crews at
World Blind Sailing Championships conducted under the auspices
of and approved by Blind Sailing International.
3. The Cup is for B! division competition.
4. Each crew will score points for each race under the Low-Point
Scoring System as defined by the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS)
Current Race Scoring Systems, published by The International
Sailing Federation, (ISAF).
5. The lowest Crew Score shall determine the winner.
6. Sailing Instructions for the event shall designate the number
of races which will count for scoring for the Cup, as required
under current RRS Rules.
7. The Cup is to be accepted by the Vision Impaired Helmsperson
of the winning Crew on behalf of his/her Crew and to be held
by that Country/State's/Organisation's Managing Committee and
held in trust until the next event, when it shall be produced
and handed to the host country's Organising Committee.Should
an event not take place the cup shall be returned to its owner,
Blind Sailing International.
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