Old boat, new tricks

Despite being 65 years old, Norwegian folkboat Valkyr continued to be a strong contender in the Otago Yacht Club’s Principal Day races in the upper Otago Harbour on Saturday.

The classic vessel is a piece of New Zealand yachting heritage.

It was built at Mandal, Norway, by M. Nygard in 1960 and sailed from London to New Zealand, via the Panama Canal, in 1961 with its original owner Adrian Hayter.

It is a well-known fixture in the local yachting scene, particularly with the Otago Yacht Club, and can often be seen winning local races with its present owner Morris Hall.