Issue date
Two divisions – fully crewed and two-handed – will take part in next year's Central Triangle, the first time the race has been contested since 2015.
Entry is open for the 703 nautical mile race that will start and finish in Wellington. The first leg starts on March 4, 2022, and competitors head south to Akaroa before the longest leg to Napier and a final run home to Wellington.
Entry is open to monohulls over 7.924m in length that meet entry criteria and hold a cat 2 certificate and entries have already been received from Nelson, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. A handful of international competitors have also expressed an interest in participating if allowed.
“We first ran this race in 2013 as a two-handed event, with the idea that boats from the central region could do a long offshore race without having to get to a start line in Auckland,” race director Geoff Herd said.
The inaugural two-handed race was won by the father and daughter crew on Wedgetail (Rebecca and Meric Davies), who then went on to compete in two Round North Island races, demonstrating how the Central Triangle is an ideal build up and qualifier for the SSANZ event.
The last Central Triangle was run in 2015 as a fully-crewed event and was won by Crusader (Elliott 35ss) skippered by Anthony Leighs.
All boats will carry YB trackers, which will keep race followers up to date with hourly position reporting, as well as updates from the boats received throughout the race.
With stopovers in Akaroa and Napier, the race is also quite social, with fabulous hospitality from Akaroa Yacht Club and Napier Sailing Club.
“The locals are so welcoming during our stopovers," Herd said. "We really look forward to catching up with them and our fellow competitors over a beverage or two at the yacht club bar.”
See here for more details and here for the notice of race. Email centraltriangle@gmail.com for more information.
