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One of New Zealand’s iconic yachts, Steinlager 2, which recently returned home after several decades abroad, is set to race in the Royal Akarana Yacht Club hosted Auckland to Noumea race, Sail Noumea.
The Auckland start of Sail Noumea is on Saturday 2nd June. For those in the Auckland area, the start line will be off Orakei with the best vantage points being the Orakei Wharf, Tamaki Drive (near Kelly Tarltons) and North Head.
All yachts in this race will be fitted with satellite trackers with virtual spectators able to watch the fleet as they race to Cercle Nautique Caledonien in Noumea.
Steinlager 2 is best known as the yacht skippered by the late Sir Peter Blake, which won the 1989 Whitbread Round the World race. She won every leg over the line and on handicap, an unprecedented record which still stands. Steinlager 2 was then voted “Yacht of the Year” by the Yachting Magazine, and went on to clock up many more race titles. It is now part of the NZ Sailing Trust, set up primarily to preserve the yachts Sir Peter Blake sailed on and to ensure the next generation has the opportunity to experience the thrill of maxi-yacht racing on these legendary boats.
Other well known registered boats include Team Vodafone (the super fast Trimaran), Beau Geste (China’s most successful sailing team), Icebreaker (less than one year old) and Kia Kaha (TP52, previously called Quantum Lexus and sailed by Russell Coutts).
For the first time this race is being run in conjunction with Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron who will race from Brisbane to Noumea with the fleets meeting at the finish race.
For more information visit www.sailnoumea.com or www.facebook.com/sailnoumea
