Bay of Plenty residents and visitors need to continue to be aware of the risk of paralytic shellfish toxin poisoning. “Levels of toxin found in shellfish along parts of the Bay of Plenty coastline remain high. Shellfish in the affected area should not be taken or eaten,” says Dr Neil de Wet, Medical Officer of Health.

The fourth Reel Brazil Film Festival in Auckland (18-28 April) and Wellington (02-12 May) will feature a documentary which took ten years to be filmed and is about a Brazilian family's round the world trip sailing. The youngest sailor on the Schürmann family’s round the world journey is five year old, New Zealand born, Kat. She’s a very little girl who gets a very big education: learning hula in Tahiti, horse-riding in Chile, tramping in the frozen desert wilds of Patagonia, while living on board the boat with her family.

Adam Minoprio, 2010 World Match Racing Champion is the 2013 NZ Open Keel Boat Champion. Who will follow Sam Osbourne and be the 2013 NZ Women’s Keel Boat Champion? We have two entries already including one from New Caledonia and the Canadian National Champion has also expressed interest in this regatta. The entry deadline of the 19th April which is just over 2 weeks away so it is time to get your crew together and enter the regatta. Entries will be accepted in order of receipt so enter now.

Join the cruising division of the RNZYS ocean race to Musket Cove, and get the benefit of a one-stop customs service, and a start at Opua or Auckland. Strong interest means up to 20 boats could be racing to Fiji on 1 June, including a contingent with something other than speed on their mind.

A team of New Zealand’s Olympic class sailors are gearing up for ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma where racing is set to get underway on Easter Monday. This ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta runs over six days from April 1st-6th. With the NZL Sailing Team’s big guns – our 2012 Olympic medallists – targeting other international regattas in coming month and not sailing in Palma, the door is open for some of the less well known campaigners to step into the spotlight in Palma and make their mark early on in the four year Olympic cycle.

ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma will see two undefeated 49erFX crews go head to head for the first time on 1 April as racing begins at the third stop on the 2012-2013 ISAF Sailing World Cup Series. Held across Club Nàutic S'Arenal and Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa over 900 sailors will fight for the titles across the ten Olympic events with many expected to cast their eye over the sailors at the start of their Olympic campaigns in the 49erFX.

With the summer of 2013 apparently willing to hang around for ever, the competitors in the Auckland Regatta were treated to superb sailing conditions – albeit mainly in the light to moderate wind range – for the three days of the contest.

Here’s a look at the up-coming sailing related events around the country for the next couple of weeks. See the YNZ on-line calendar for full details of these events and those on beyond that. Are you organising an event you would like to see included? Don’t miss out on some free promotion for your sailing events by adding them to the YNZ on-line calendar here.

Northland Sailor of the Year Chris Hornell has sailed his Reichel/Pugh TP52 Kia Kaha to victory once again, in last weekend's Auckland Regatta. With convincing wins in PHRF, IRC and line honours categories, Kia Kaha - which means 'stay strong' in Maori - continues to prove her mettle among New Zealand's sailing elite.

Do you know a young person that would benefit from racing offshore? This is their chance. Young people aged sixteen and over will have a unique opportunity to undertake their first offshore race experience aboard one of ocean racing’s most stalwart veterans, Lion New Zealand, in the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s Ocean Race to Musket Cove, Fiji, in June. A voyage on the boat has already kick started the offshore sailing career of Cory McLennan.