Tauranga sailor Laura Hemingway has secured the women's division of the Splash Class World Sailing Championship sailed at Takapuna Beach.
Laura, 18, representing Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club, finished 20th overall in the fleet on 144 points. Ina K.

Laura Hemmingway is the world champion splash class sailor.

Berensten Kullmann from Norway, on an exchange programme in Auckland, was second, on 175 points, and reigning champion Nienke Reina Jorna from Netherlands third on 175 points.
This is Laura Hemingway's last regatta in the Splash Class. The law student was fourth when she competed at the Portugal worlds in 2008 and she was able to secure consistent top-20 results to deliver her final prize.
'It's a really good feeling, you know you've excelled,” says Laura.
The Splash Dinghy is a fast, modern single handed dinghy designed for sailors under the age of 19. Favoured for its ability to build confidence in mostly teenage sailors, the boat is a step up from the optimist, and a precursor and training vessel for the laser class raced by both men and women at the Olympic Games.
The men's division winner this year is Chris Steel, 17, from the Wakatere Boating Club on Auckland's North Shore. The Splash Worlds is his second world sailing championship title – he also won the Optimist World Championships in 2007.
Beating 73 sailors from 12 countries, including European and Pacific nations, was the result of strategic, consistent sailing: Chris stayed as close as possible to the top sailors on days when the conditions were heavy and didn't suit him and notched up mostly first and second places on the lighter days when they did suit him.
Second place getter was close friend Declan Burn. Declan won the Splash World Sailing Championships in 2009 when they were held in Wales and the pair pushed each other hard on the racecourse this week.
2008 World Champion Ben Lutze from Taipa took third place and the bronze medal.