2020 eVOLUTION Sails Nelson Regatta
17-21 January
Tasman Bay Cruising Club
A large fleet of trailer yachts will be competing for the South Island Championship, joined by sports boats and keelers in the biggest regatta event in Nelson. A full program of racing starts on Friday 17th January 2020 and goes through to Tuesday 21st, show casing Tasman Bay with great sea breezes and a fantastic mountain backdrop.
Fleets will include Trailer Yachts, Sports Boats, Keelers and a Cruising Division.
Feeders for the regatta include the RPNYC Wellington to Nelson Race and the Waikawa Regatta, two weeks prior. Then there is just enough time to celebrate in Nelson before flying out to join a boat for Bay Week.
The regatta is scheduled to start on the evening of 17th January with a rum race in the harbour for all divisions, and these will start two days of round the buoys racing on Saturday. During this time the annual Wellington to Nelson race will bring visiting keelers to Nelson. Keeler racing will continue, with the official keeler division starting on Sunday with three races round the cans for the Romeo and Juliet divisions, and a coastal race for the cruising boats. On Monday the keelers will set off across Tasman Bay for two days of coastal racing which will include a night in Torrent Bay. A chance for a beach party and a night in the Able Tasman National Park.
The inaugural Nelson Regatta was conceived in 2009 by a group of local sailors, with ambitions of placing the region back on the national sailing map. Over the years the format has evolved to create a competitive and social week of racing that showcases the beauty of Tasman Bay.
The warm pristine waters of Tasman Bay have been the playground of New Zealand Olympic and World Champion sailors for many years. This is your opportunity to join this tradition as the Tasman Bay Cruising Club welcomes sailors and supporters to the region.