Issue date
The Coastal Classic Auckland to Russell Yacht Race was announced as the winner of the 2014 Yachting New Zealand President’s Award at the Volvo Yachting Excellence Awards on Friday 21 November.
The President's Award is in association with Fuji Xerox, and the NZ Multihull Yacht Club receive a new printer as their prize.
It started as a whim and a dare and more than 30 years later, the Coastal Classic yacht race from Devonport Wharf in Auckland, to Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands, is still regarded as one of the world’s iconic yacht races.
Twelve intrepid skippers and crew lined up for the very first challenge, organised by Roger Dilley of the then Auckland Multihull Sailing Association, and based on speed record attempts made by power boats in the 1920s over the same course.
From there it grew and grew. Each year offered up something different, and each year sailors grasped the opportunity to take on the challenge. In 2001, the fleet reached an all-time record of 270 entrants.
Sponsors have come and gone, and so have club commodores, event managers, race managers, and publicists.
But the entrants - and the boats - have stayed with the race and for many the event is now intergenerational and a tradition that welcomes in summer, year on year.
Clive Wright accepts the Award on behalf of the NZ Multihull Yacht Club
The boats are faster too - Krisis, skippered by Duncan (Cookie) Stewart won the inaugural 1982 race in a time of 18 hours, a time that was unbeaten for four years. Over the years, the times dropped and in 1996 the holy grail of a South-Easterly gave the fleet a clear run with the wind behind them all the way into Russell. Split Enz won that race, and set a record time of 7 hours 20 minutes and 51 seconds that would be the race record for ten years, until 2009 when our records tumbled including the overall record, and which have continued to drop since TeamVodafoneSailing arrived on the scene, now sitting at five hours and 13 minutes.
The small boat fleet departs Auckland in 2014 © Ivor Wilkins
It’s not all about setting records though, and whether it’s the simplicity of the formula, the party at the end, or the beautiful destination, it’s clear there is a special place in the hearts of New Zealand sailors for the Coastal Classic.
2014 Race © Ivor Wilkins
