Secondary Schools Teams Sailing Nationals to expand with new Championship and Cup format in 2027
New Zealand’s premier secondary schools team sailing event will expand in 2027, with a new two-tier format designed to create more opportunities for developing teams while preserving a high-level pathway for the country’s best school sailors.
The New Zealand Team Sailing Association (NZTSA), in partnership with Yachting New Zealand and School Sport New Zealand (SSNZ), will introduce separate National Championship and National Development Cup regattas at next year’s Secondary Schools Teams Sailing nationals.
The change follows the introduction of a new SSNZ eligibility framework in 2026, which formalises the distinction between Championship, Cup and festival-level secondary school competitions and prevents composite teams from competing in Championship events.
Rather than restricting participation, the new structure will allow more teams to compete while creating a clearer distinction between the performance-focused Championship and a Development Cup for schools and sailors building their team sailing experience.
Raynor Haagh, Yachting New Zealand General Manager: Community and Development, said the decision followed consultation with the sailing community and secondary schools throughout 2026.
“We wanted to make sure the changes strengthened the event rather than simply putting restrictions around who could enter,” Haagh said. “Team sailing is a relatively small part of the sport, but it is highly competitive, with many of these students also competing at national and international level in youth and Olympic pathway classes.
“It is important that we recognise that level of performance while also making sure there are meaningful opportunities for schools that are still developing.”
Separate National Championship and National Development Cup regattas will be introduced at next year’s Secondary Schools Teams Sailing nationals. Photo / Supplied
Under the new format, the National Championship will be open to school-only teams competing for the Yachting New Zealand national title and the opportunity to represent New Zealand at the Team Racing Interdominions – an annual showdown between the top six open and girls’ schools from New Zealand and Australia.
The National Development Cup will provide a national-level competition for developing teams, including composite teams made up of sailors from multiple schools.
For schools with sufficient depth to field more than one team, the new structure will also create an opportunity to enter a development side in the Cup alongside their Championship team – something the previous one-team-per-school structure did not allow.
Both regattas will feature trophies for the top Open Team and top All-Female Team, ensuring recognition across both levels of competition.
Team sailing, also known as team racing, differs from traditional fleet racing in that sailors compete as a coordinated team rather than simply chasing individual finishing positions. The standard format sees two teams of three boats race head-to-head, with the team recording the lowest combined finishing score winning.
That makes team sailing an intensely tactical discipline, with sailors using boat positioning, wind control and right-of-way rules to influence not only their own position but those of their teammates and opponents. The action begins before the start, with all six boats often engaged in close-quarters manoeuvring and continues throughout the race under the watch of on-water umpires.
A total of 28 teams contested the 2026 New Zealand Secondary Schools Teams Racing Championships in Whangārei. Photo / Supplied
David Hogg, president of the NZTSA, said including composite teams in the Cup was particularly important for growing the sport.
“Composite teams have always played a valuable role in team sailing,” Hogg said. “They give students an opportunity to compete when their school doesn’t have enough sailors to form a full team, and they can be particularly important for schools in regions where sailing isn’t a major sport.
“They also provide a pathway. A composite team can be the starting point for students and schools to build the experience and numbers they need to eventually establish a full school team.”
The changes come as team sailing continues to attract strong participation among secondary schools.
A total of 28 teams contested the 2026 New Zealand Secondary Schools Teams Racing Championships at Whangārei Cruising Club, with the event producing 269 races.
Westlake Boys High School claimed the overall title after edging Auckland Grammar School, with Macleans College third. Westlake Girls High School continued its dominance in the girls’ competition, claiming its fourth consecutive title ahead of Nelson College for Girls and Whangārei Girls’ High School.
Westlake Girls have also won the Interdominions title for the past three consecutive years.
The 2027 Secondary Schools Teams Sailing National Championships will be hosted by Naval Point Club Lyttelton during the April school holidays, with further event and entry information to be released by NZTSA in due course.
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