2026 Young 88 National Championships: Experience meets ambition as class prepares for showdown on Auckland waters

The stage is set for one of New Zealand's most fiercely contested keelboat regattas, with the 2026 Harken Young 88 National Championships launching this weekend on the waters north of Rangitoto. 

Hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, the March 21-22 showdown will bring together 14 evenly matched crews in a fleet defined as much by rivalry as by raw sailing talent.

Defending champion Karyn Drummond returns at the helm of Flash Gordon, carrying the weight of expectation after setting the benchmark last year. But any notion of a straightforward title defence is quickly dismissed by the depth and diversity of this year’s fleet, which blends seasoned campaigners with an emerging generation eager to upend the established order.

Leading the charge from the South Island is two-time national champion Harry Thurston, who arrives in form after a commanding victory at the Southern Championships in Akaroa. His campaign is bolstered by fellow Christchurch contender Craig Edwards, whose Flying Machine crew is widely regarded as one of the most technically polished teams in the fleet. Together, they form the spearhead of a southern challenge that threatens to disrupt Auckland’s traditional dominance.

Yet the fiercest battles may unfold closer to home. Within the host city itself, a simmering "east versus west" rivalry is set to erupt, pitting Westhaven-based crews against their counterparts from Bucklands Beach and Pine Harbour. These intra-city bragging rights add another layer of intensity to a regatta already rich in competitive narrative.

The 2026 Young 88 National Championships will feature 14 crews, including defending champion Karyn Drummond at the helm of Flash Gordon (top). Photos / Live Sail Die

Among veterans, a bold youth movement is also gaining momentum. Skippers like Rory Sims, Braedyn Denney, William Mason and Sam Clarke are stepping into the spotlight, trading high-speed foiling for the tactical precision of one-design keelboat racing. 

"It’s the classic 88 dynamic," said class president Gary Fowler. "You’ve got the silverback stalwarts who know every trick in the book versus the young ring-ins who are fast and fearless. Add in north versus south and the east-west rivalry, and it becomes much more than just a boat race.”

The Young 88 class, renowned for its strict one-design rules, ensures that no crew can rely on superior equipment to gain an edge. With identical hulls across the fleet, success will hinge entirely on execution, strategy and nerve. In such a tightly controlled environment, even the smallest mistake can prove decisive — and there is nowhere to hide.

The entries: Babe (Gavin Haslip), Flying Machine (Craig Edwards), Dangerzone (Harry Thurston), Fatal Attraction (Richard Bush), Flash Gordon (Karyn Drummond), Heartlight (Roger Sims), Kokako II (Braedyn Denney), Paddy Wagon (Gary Fowler), Skitzo (Sam Clarke), Smokey (Wayne Mackenzie), Vagabond (Greg Wilshire), Waka Huia (Craig Anderson), War Machine (Paul McWilliams), Young Magic (William Mason).