Issue date
Our NZ Community Trust regional development managers have had plenty on as the season kicked into gear across the country. Below, they bring you a selection of the latest news from their regions .
JJ Rice sailed at five previous Foil Bay of Islands events. Photo / Jacob Fewtrell Media
JJ Rice Memorial Islands Race to debut at foiling week
Foil Bay of Islands returns for 2025 with an epic programme, new sponsors, and a special memorial race honouring a beloved foiling community member.
The three-day competition, scheduled for February 21-23, 2025, will bring together the world's top foiling athletes across multiple disciplines and will run from the Bay of Islands Yacht Club.
This year's event introduces the JJ Rice Memorial Islands Race, commemorating an extraordinary athlete who competed in five previous editions.
Rice, a young kiteboarder who was set to represent Tonga at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, died in a diving accident in June last year.
He was 18.
This year's island race, sponsored by About Being Seen and the Rice Family, will take place on Friday, February 21 and will feature a newly commissioned trophy.
Foil Bay of Islands 2025 also features an innovative roadshow format, with launches alternating between Baylys Beach and Bay of Islands Yacht Club.
All foiling classes are welcome, including wingfoil and windfoil, with the NZ open kitefoil championships also taking place.
Regatta organiser Chris Fewtrell is excited about the event: "What started as a wild idea to have a foiling regatta in the Bay of Islands has blossomed into something truly special. We're seeing athletes from all skill levels - from those just finding their foiling legs to Olympic competitors - come together to share their passion.
"The spirit of camaraderie here is unique, and it's incredible to watch how this event has become a must-attend fixture for so many in the foiling community. We're counting down the days until we can welcome everyone back to the Bay."
Young Blake Batten won the 2025 Tauranga Cup. Photo / Live Sail Die
Batten, Handley claim P Class titles
Blake Batten added his name to an illustrious list of Kiwi sailors to have claimed the P Class national title, with his commanding win at Charteris Bay Yacht Club earlier this month.
Batten, from Murrays Bay Sailing Club, claimed the Tauranga Cup courtesy of four bullets in nine races – joining the likes of Dean Barker, Simon Cooke, Ray Davies, Leslie Egnot and Isaac McHardie as winners of the event.
Nathan Soper and Finloe Gaites rounded out the top three with Charlotte Handley lifting the Naomi James Trophy for finishing first in the girls' division, followed by Zofia Wells and Mila Blundell.
Batten and Handley earlier came second in the Tanner Cup and Centenary Cup respectively, which was won by Hamish Brown and Greta Hutton.
Full results here.
Important update to Sailwave scoring software
Sailing results and scoring software Sailwave has been updated to include changes to the new Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028.
The programme, which is one of the most popular and widely used for yacht race scoring in New Zealand, has also added handy new features and improvements, including translating scoring codes and the copy-and-paste function.
Sailwave users can upload the latest version of the software by clicking here and can access assistance via online customer support here.
The new Racing Rules of Sailing requires scoring penalties to be rounded to 0.1 (whereas previously this was to a whole number). To allow scoring of series files that are using the earlier version of RRS, this can be reverted to rounding to whole numbers by unticking the box (below):
For more information, contact Ian Gardiner at iangardiner@yachtingnz.org.nz.
Dozens of young sailors competed at the 2025 O'pen skiff Regattapalooza. Photos / Andy Child, Manly Sailing Club
Focus on fun at Regattapalooza
The focus shifted from competitive action to a festival of fun at Manly Sailing Club, as the club welcomed 35 young sailors to its 2025 O'pen Skiff Regattapalooza last weekend - just weeks after hosting the highly successful Moth world championships.
A coaching clinic led by the Russell Coutts Sailing Foundation (and featuring the popular Bridge of Doom) kicked off three days of action, and not even the breezy conditions, which made for a challenging course, could wipe the smiles off the young sailors' faces once the regatta got underway.
The Bridge of Doom was a hit at Manly last weekend. Photos / Andy Child, Manly Sailing Club
Class president Joel Brazle thanked the sailors, parents, and volunteers who made the event possible: "These kids took on the challenge and absolutely ate up the course! It was amazing to watch our more inexperienced sailors come so far in such a short time."
Full results here.
Call for entries: Women on Water Weekend
Entries for the Evolution Sails NZ Women on Water Weekend 2025 are now open and sailors are encouraged to book their crew spot or register their boat.
The event will again be hosted by Gulf Harbour Yacht Club from March 7 to 9, 2025 and aims to be "an amazing weekend celebrating women in sailing".
Entries close on February 24.
Click here for the full programme and entry details.
Boats big and small took to the water in the 185th Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta. Photo / Live Sail Die
Sailors battle breeze to celebrate 185th Anniversary Day Regatta
An impressive fleet of tugboats and classic launches put on an exciting show for the crowds of spectators gathered on the Westhaven breakwater to watch racing in the 185th Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta on Sunday - and while the windy conditions prevented many of the classic yachts and keelers from taking part, there was still plenty to enjoy throughout the City of Sails.
Among the stars of the day were the Waka Ama fleet who bravely paddled against the strong winds from Ōrākei to Westhaven to start their race, with all ages from teenagers to those in their 70s represented among the crews. In the Viaduct Harbour, scores of colourful crews fiercely contested the Dragon Boat racing, much to the delight of onlookers around the shore. Meanwhile in St Mary’s Bay, the smallest boats in the regatta – the Electron and IOM class radio-controlled yachts – put on a similarly impressive show for passers-by on the Westhaven Promenade.
The regatta opened the six-week Moana Auckland festival, beginning with an opening ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, with the kind support of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, as event partners to Moana Auckland.
Full results here.
Murrays Bay hosted the Optimist and Starling Auckland Championships. Photo / Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Auckland champs crowned
Murrays Bay Sailing Club hosted huge fleets of young Optimist and Starling sailors, braving gusts over 25 knots to battle it out for their ZeroJet Auckland championships as part of the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta celebrations.
Leo Brown and Alexis Heckler took out the Starling open fleet titles, while Matteo Barker and Greta Hutton were crowned Optimist champions.
Tom Sanderson and Ray Zhang finished first boy and girl in the Optimist white fleet, while George Renall and Chanelle Good won the Starling development fleet.
Full results here.
Kohimarama Yacht Club hosted the Barfoot & Thompson 29er and 420 Auckland championships on the same weekend.
Will Leech and William Mason held off the challenge of 13 other crews - including two from Hong Kong - to win the 29er competition by 11 points, with Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley the first female crew.
Tessa Clinton and Amelia Higson won six of the 10 races to finish top of the 420 fleet.
Full results here.
Some of the winners from the 29er and 420 Auckland championships, held at Kohimarama Yacht Club. Photo / Kohimarama Yacht Club
Volunteers wanted for A Class, Tornado nationals
Milford Cruising Club are looking for volunteers to help with the A Class and Tornado national championships, to be held in association with the New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club from February 20-23.
They are particularly interested in those who may be able to assist as boat drivers and crew, as well as off-water support.
Please email manager@milfordcruising.co.nz if you can help.
JuniorSail camp signed, seal-d and delivered!
New Plymouth Yacht Club recently held their annual JuniorSail two-day camp with 24 Optimist and Starling sailors attending.
According to organisers, a highlight was the sail to Moturoa Island to check out the seals with some of the young sailors getting a close-up look at the marine mammals.
These camps are always a great way for the kids to learn a few new skills while having a lot of fun.
Titahi Bay Boating Club hosted the Wellington OptiSail. Photo / Supplied
Beginners set sail at Titahi Bay
Two dozen beginner sailors enjoyed three days of perfect weather at this year’s Wellington Optisail held at the Titahi Bay Boating Club.
The camp consisted of plenty of sailing and games with the ice cream run-up near Paremata Boating Club a standout moment.
Nelson Regatta winner and Souther Circuit series champion Shane Smith (Boat One). Photo / Supplied
Smith the One to beat at upcoming nationals
Boat One claimed a commanding win in the third and final regatta of the Nautilus Braids Elliott 5.9 Southern Circuit, to wrap up the series and lay down an early marker for the Elliott 5.9 national championships.
True to its name, the Shane Smith-helmed yacht finished at the top of the leaderboard with a perfect seven wins from as many races - 11 points ahead of Andrew McFarlane (Retro), and 15 points ahead of Mark Howard (Eagle).
The three-day regatta, held as part of Tasman Bay Cruising Club's Nelson Regatta on January 18 and 19, started with an invitational race on Friday, followed by round-the-buoy racing on Saturday and Sunday.
A highlight of the regatta was the coastal race to the breathtaking Abel Tasman National Park on Monday with 18 boats embarking on a challenging four-hour upwind journey in an 8-12 knot northerly with flat seas, culminating in a finish off Pitt Head and capped off with a memorable beach party at Anchorage.
Tuesday saw the final races with the cruisers heading back to Nelson, while the Romeo Division competed in a challenging race from Anchorage to Tonga Island and back before starting the final race to Nelson Harbour.
The beach party at Anchorage. Photo / Geoff Head
Full results here.
Waikawa Boating Club's New Year Regatta was contested across three divisions. Photo / Supplied
New Year Regatta delivers thrilling racing
The Waikawa Boating Club’s New Year Regatta 2025 in Queen Charlotte Sound featured a packed schedule of races across three divisions.
Sponsored by Aon Insurance, New Zealand King Salmon, and Marlborough Sounds Marinas, the regatta saw 19 boats competing, including visiting teams from Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, Nelson Yacht Club and Tasman Bay Cruising Club. A revised format allowed for more races, with a mix of round-the-buoys, sprint, and long harbour racing, ensuring non-stop action.
Racing began on Friday evening with a fast-paced round-the-cans event, followed by a full day on Saturday under sunny skies. Division 1 tackled short harbour races, while Divisions 3 and 4 navigated long courses, with additional sprint races adding to the excitement. Sunday brought light winds early on, but a timely southerly allowed for competitive races, culminating in a high-speed battle across the Sound.
Full results here.
The WineWorks Marlborough Wine Race sees a mix of inshore, offshore, and launch racing, while competitors deliver their wineries’ finest to Resolution Bay. Photo / Supplied
Marlborough Wine Race back for more
The highly anticipated WineWorks Marlborough Wine Race returns on February 14, blending the thrill of offshore racing with the tradition of launching a new vintage of Marlborough wines.
Since its inception in 2001, the race has carried wines across the Cook Strait to Wellington, drawing inspiration from France’s Beaujolais Nouveau tradition. This year’s edition promises an exciting mix of inshore, offshore, and launch racing, with competitors delivering their wineries’ finest to Resolution Bay in the outer Queen Charlotte Sound.
A slight course adjustment will see the offshore (category 3) fleet venturing into the Cook Strait while other divisions navigate the picturesque inshore route. All fleets will converge in Resolution Bay for a celebratory prize-giving, marking another milestone in Marlborough’s 51-year history of winemaking.
Click here for more information or to register before February 7.
Ten local sailors completed the club's first Learn to Sail course in several years. Photo / Supplied
Sailing returns to Lake Brunner
After several years without formal sailing on the lake, a small team of enthusiastic members has reinvigorated the Learn to Sail and dinghy programme at Lake Brunner Yacht Club.
Over the Christmas holidays, the club's first Learn to Sail course in many years was conducted. Run over three days with 10 enthusiastic local youngsters, the club completed the course in stunning sunshine and a gentle sea breeze.
The club has been running weekend sailing since, with 19 sailors attending a recent Have a Go session.
Members of the public enjoyed the Hansa 303 yachts at Sailability Canterbury's first full sailing day in December. Photo / Supplied
Successful debut for Sailability Canterbury
Sailability Canterbury held its first full sailing day in late December, with perfect north-easterly winds allowing members of the public to enjoy the Hansa 303 yachts under the guidance of Andrew May and Ben Acland. The event saw plenty of smiles from both participants and volunteers, marking a successful start to the initiative aimed at providing accessible sailing opportunities in Lyttelton Harbour.
This milestone was made possible through the efforts of the Trustee team, organisations supplying boats and equipment, and key supporters, including the provider of loan containers, the support boat sponsor, Christchurch City Council, and Yachting New Zealand.
The trust is finalising its summer season calendar and hopes to establish regular sailing days.
Those interested in joining as volunteers or participants can contact Ingrid Robertson at 021 965 355 or ingrid@sailabilitycanterbury.org.nz.
