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The ILCA (Laser) has been around for 50 years, which means a regatta run out of the Panmure Lagoon has been around for nearly as long.
The Panmure Lagoon Sailing Club will host the 45th staging of the RSA Regatta on April 24. It was originally set up in 1977 in partnership with the local RSA to not only promote the Laser class but also commemorate many sailors who died in active service.
A scan through the honours board reveals a handful of well-known individuals, from world champions and Olympic medallists to America's Cup sailors and top-level coaches. The likes Pete Evans, Craig Monk, Rohan Lord and Dan Slater have their names etched on the impressive trophy and former masters world champion Paul Page is a five-time winner.
But the event is more than a series of five races sailed in a tidal basin in the middle of Auckland. After all, the first rule of the regatta set down in the 1970s and still followed today states: "this is a friendly competition and the organisers would ask ALL competitors to remember that."
"It's a great social event and a chance for people to catch up with old friends," Panmure Lagoon Sailing Club commodore Blair Park said. "It's also good for people new to regattas. We can have up to 50 boats, which in the lagoon is quite a few, and we're hoping to get close to that number this year with so many regattas cancelled [due to Covid]."
The inaugural event attracted 28 entries and was won by David Glen and in the 1980s attracted many of the top young sailors who went on to achieve international success. Evans, who went on to compete in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, won in 1981 and Monk took out the title in both 1983 and 1985.
Olympian Dan Slater won the RSA Regatta in 2017.
The success of the first event encouraged organisers to try a two-day format in 1978, complete with a 'wine and chicken night' with a country and western theme, but quickly reverted back to one day.
It essentially stayed this way until 2016 when the King and Queen of the River Regatta was added to the weekend's programme. It's sailed the day before the RSA Regatta and sees competitors race up Tamaki River from the Panmure Bridge to the Southern Motorway and back.
The RSA Regatta lost some of its lustre in late 1980s, with small numbers prompting organisers to open the event to other classes in 1990. It saw Sunbursts, Europes, Microns, Deltas and Open Class E and F yachts take part that year and undoubtedly ensured the regatta survived.
The decision was taken in 2010 to return to an event exclusively for ILCAs in the hope of slowly building back the fleet. Prizes were also offered for the top female and top junior as another incentive and as many as 46 boats competed in 2013 as part of the club's jubilee celebrations.
A big celebration is being planned for the 50th in 2027 but plenty more stories (some true and others not so true) will be told and retold before then.
As Rohan Lord said ahead of the 2017 RSA Regatta, "I'm looking forward to sailing in the RSA Regatta, as the competition is intense but fun, and the organisation plus hospitality first rate. I look forward to more battles on the water with old and new campaigners. And over-inflating our abilities over a beer after."
See here for more information on both the RSA Regatta and King and Queen of the River Regatta, and here for more about the Panmure Lagoon Sailing Club.
