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Our four NZCT regional development managers (RDMs) bring you the latest updates and news from across the country, including an exciting new initiative linked to the 37th America's Cup.
The Big Day of Sailing is the latest initiative by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron promoting the 37th America's Cup. Photo / Live Sail Die
Calling all clubs: Join the Big Day of Sailing and Big Sleep-In!
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron will be celebrating the start of the 37th America’s Cup Match with two special events - and they want clubs around the country to do the same.
The RNZYS's Big Day of Sailing will see the club open its doors and offer a “have a go” sailing experience to its local community.
It will be backed up by a sleep-in at the club to celebrate the start of Emirates Team New Zealand's defence of the Auld Mug on Saturday, October 12 starting at 1 am (NZ time).
They are encouraging other clubs to do the same and have provided several resources to assist in the process. These can be accessed by clicking here.
The Big Day of Sailing and the Big Sleep-In is the latest in a series of initiatives aligned with the America's Cup and follows after the Kiwi Cup Tour saw the America's Cup trophy - one of the most prized pieces of sporting silverware on the planet - stop at over 40 locations across New Zealand.
The inaugural Toyota Kiwi Cup Regatta is also currently underway, with 10 teams and 49 sailors battling it out in the Emirates Team New Zealand Elliott 7 fleet on the Waitemata Harbour from September 30 to October 4.
In addition to the sailors, Live Sail Die has also selected two junior content creators to be a part of the media team to help showcase the event.
Anna Dold, 16, and Jayden Murdie, 17, have been selected to create video and photography content for the event and will be a part of the action while receiving training from Live Sail Die founder Suellen Hurling, who has over 20 years of experience in the industry, and Adam Mustill who has delivered content for Live Sail Die for the past four years.
"To be selected is an absolute honour, which excites me and scares me at the same time," Dold said. "This will provide me with new opportunities to enhance my two passions, photography and sailing."
Asked about the media's role in sailing, Murdie said: "Media is a crucial part in sailing and regattas, helping increase attraction to the sport and grabbing the attention of a broader audience. It captures the excitement and beauty of sailing, bringing the event to those who can’t be there in person."
For more information on the Big Day of Sailing and the Big Sleep-In, click here.
Register now for Sailwave seminar
Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch will be hosting a series of free Sailwave seminars this month, starting with Evans Bay Yacht and Motorboat Club tomorrow (October 3).
Kohimarama Yacht Club is next up on October 17, followed by Naval Point Club Lyttelton on October 24.
All three seminars will feature internationally recognised expert Huw Pearce.
The popular Sailwave programme is widely used for scoring yacht races, and this session will be an excellent opportunity for sailors, race officials, and volunteers to enhance their understanding of the software.
The events will start at 7pm and will include a presentation by Pearce, who has extensive experience in scoring major yacht racing events across Europe and the rest of the world. It will also be an opportunity to hear stories from some of the major competitions he has been involved in.
Click here to register for the event.
Marsden Yacht and Boat Club turns 50 this month.
Milestone for Marsden Yacht and Boat Club
Marsden Yacht and Boat Club is turning 50 later this month and organisers are planning a party fit for the occasion.
Club secretary Warren Daniel said festivities will include a reunion on Sunday, October 27, as well as sailing activities and a celebratory dinner.
"We would like to invite all past and present members to attend and help us celebrate a significant milestone," Daniel said.
MYBC was formed in October 1974 when a small group of residents in the Bream Bay area decided to form a local yacht club.
Initially, sailing in the waters off Marsden Point, a new clubhouse was built adjacent to the One Tree Point boat ramp in 1990, where it remains.
Daniel can be contacted at (09) 4327268, secretary.mybc@gmail.com or via PO Box 9, Ruakaka, 0151.
Oliver Tiedemann won the O'pen Skiff competition.
Tiedemann, Ferrises win at BOIYC
Oliver Tiedemann took out the O'pen Skiff title at the Northland O'pen Cup and RS Feva Traveller series regatta at Bay of Islands Yacht Club last weekend.
The young Manly sailor won three of nine completed races in the 15-boat gold fleet, to finish four points ahead of Valentina Gladiadis, followed by Sol Douwes.
Dave and Cameron Ferris sailed a flawless regatta - winning every race - to be crowned champions in the RS Feva fleet.
Elisa and Sofia Currie were second, with Robyn Ashton and Blake Smith third.
Full results from the Northland O'pen Cup and RS Feva Traveller series regatta here.
Zoot Allures won the last regatta in Russell.
Elliotts set for Sandspit showdown
The final regatta of the Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series will take place at Sandspit Yacht Club this weekend. With 15 boats competing in the series, the racing has been fierce, with multiple race winners and consistent performances proving difficult to achieve.
At the previous regatta in Russell, Zoot Allures emerged victorious, benefiting from light winds to claim the overall win. Although only three races were completed due to a lack of breeze, they provided exciting racing with three different winners: Usain Boat, Zoot Allures, and Bloodline.
Heading into the final event, R+R leads the standings, but Slam Dunk is just seven points behind and has shown remarkable consistency throughout the series. With another strong performance, Slam Dunk could overtake R+R, who has had some high-scoring races.
The battle for third place is also close, with Revelry being chased by Usain Boat, while Nyx and Class Act are in tight contention for the Most Improved trophy. The final regatta promises to be an exciting conclusion to the series.
For full results and series standings, click here.
Over 70 entries have now been received for the 2024 PredictWind Moth world championships. Photo / Manly Sailing Club
Entries flying in for 2024 Moth worlds
Some of the best sailors in the world will line up against the cream of New Zealand yachties when the 2024 PredictWind Moth world championships start at Manly Sailing Club at the end of the year.
Entries now top 70 with three months to go.
Olympic gold medallist in the 49er Diego Botin headlines the international fleet, alongside fellow Olympians, SailGP stalwarts and America's Cup stars Jean-Baptiste Bernaz, Philipp Buhl, Sebastien Schneiter, Hattie Rogers and Sinem Kurtbay.
New Zealand national champion Jake Pye will lead the Kiwi charge after he was denied the world championship crown in 2023 when the competition was cancelled due to a lack of breeze with him in the lead.
Pye will be joined by runners-up at the 2024 nationals - Mattias Coutts and Sam Street - as well as a host of talented Kiwi sailors from various other classes.
These include SailGP veteran Phil Robertson, ILCA 7 world championship bronze medallist George Gautrey, Seb Menzies, George Lee Rush, Leo Takahashi, Sam Bacon, Tim Howse and Sean Herbert.
To see the complete list of entries, or to enter, click here.
Wakatere Boating Club's Pia and Ripi. Photo / Wakatere Boating Club
Wakatere welcomes Pia and Ripi
Wakatere Boating Club officially welcomed two of its newest "members" at the club opening day last weekend.
Ngahiwi Walker from the Royal New Zealand Navy led a blessing ceremony to name the club’s two RS Quests - Pia and Ripi.
It was followed by two spring season points races to kick off the 2024/2025 season, with sailors from all classes revelling in the refreshing southwest conditions.
Bucklands Beach Yacht Club turned 75 last month. Photo / Supplied
Milestone birthday for Bucklands Beach Yacht Club
Bucklands Beach Yacht Club celebrated its 75th anniversary on Saturday, September 21 with an evening of laughter, memories, and camaraderie. Members and guests arrived in their finest attire, gathering to share stories and reflect on the club's rich history.
In a Facebook post, the club thanked those who have contributed over many years.
"The night was a huge success, and we could not have had this occasion without our members support of the club over the past 75 years.
"Thank you to all who attended the night and helped us celebrate and a big thank you to the House committee for all their efforts in arranging the fabulous celebration for us all."
Year 8 boys Lauchlan Wills, Finloe Gaites and Will Fyfe. Photos / Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club
AIMS Games: Top prize for Murrays Bay Intermediate
Murrays Bay Intermediate was crowned as the top school at the 2024 Zespri AIMS Games for the third consecutive year - despite their sailors being pipped to the overall win.
Bucklands Beach Intermediate's Lauchlan Wills took out the overall title at the annual event, hosted by Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club last month, also finishing as the first Year 8 boy.
Finloe Gaites and Will Fyfe finished second and third overall to secure the AIMS Cup for their school, while fellow Murrays Bay Intermediate student Sofia Turner won the Year 8 girls event.
Zofia Wells (Saint Kentigern College) was second and Flora Stevens (Diocesan School for Girls) third.
Click here for the full results.
Year 8 girls Sofia Turner, Zofia Wells and Flora Stevens. Photos / Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club
Lowry Bay Yacht Club hosted the second leg of the Wellington interclub keelboat series.
Strong start to keelboat series
The Wellington interclub keelboat series got off to an excellent start with great conditions and a strong turnout at the first two rounds last weekend.
Evans Bay Yacht and Motorboat Club kicked things off with 25 boats on Sunday, followed by Lowry Bay Yacht Club hosting the second leg the following day.
The last race in the series will be this weekend at Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club.
Click here for more information.
The 2024 Waikawa Women's Regatta was another big success. Photo / Waikawa Boating Club
Astruso, Freaky and Rawiti top at Waikawa Women's Regatta
Sixteen boats competed in three divisions as the 2024 Evolution Sails Waikawa Women's Regatta again delivered thrills and spills across two days of sailing in variable conditions in the picturesque Marlborough Sounds.
The popular Taste of Marlborough cruise began on a sunny Thursday afternoon (September 12) from the Waikawa Boating Club, with guests sailing up to Kumutoto Bay to enjoy a delightful showcase of local food and beverages. Later that evening, attendees were treated to an unexpected highlight when the America’s Cup made an appearance at the clubhouse.
Despite mixed weather forecasts, with winds ranging from 5-20 knots and intermittent rain, race management managed to complete five races on Friday and Saturday with Astruso, Freaky and Rawiti crowned winners in their respective divisions.
Full results and final standings here.
Ross May hosted the forum, with support from Yachting New Zealand.
CYA host successful race officials forum
The Canterbury Yachting Association recently held a highly successful race officials forum, aimed at bringing together race officials from across the region. This event provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to reconnect, refresh their skills, and discuss the latest rule changes in the sport.
Facilitated by Ross May, with support from Yachting New Zealand, the forum saw 18 participants actively engage in the sessions. The event was not only educational - with attendees practising scenarios and participating in mock trials in person - but also fostered a sense of community among the officials.
For more on Yachting New Zealand's race officials pathways, click here.
