2026 offshore double-handed world championships - Registration of Interest

Yachting New Zealand invites sailors to apply to be selected to represent the country at the 2026 offshore double-handed world championships. 

Applications can be submitted below and will remain open until 27 May, 2026.

The event will be held in Marseille, France from September 23 to October 2, 2026, and will again be contested by mixed crews (one man, one woman) racing on Sun Fast 30 One Design boats.

The event webpage that includes the Notice of Race and all eligibility and entry requirements is now available and can be accessed here.

Yachting New Zealand has established a selection panel comprising international race officials, shorthanded and offshore sailing experts, and members of the Cruising, Inshore and Offshore Racing Committee (CIORC).

Once the application period closes, the panel will evaluate teams based on their international and national offshore and long coastal racing events experience, overall sailing knowledge and experience as helm and crew, relevant certification, and navigational and weather routing expertise.

Two teams will be chosen to represent New Zealand at the event. The first team will receive the priority place, while the second team will be nominated to compete, pending the World Sailing selection panel's decision. Successful applicants will be required to pay the entry fee of €5000 (refer event NOR).

Last year, New Zealand was represented by two teams at the event in England - Anna Merchant and Aaron Hume-Merry and Oakley Marsh and Megan Thomson.