News library

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.

An area which hosts some of the best sailing in New Zealand, the Nelson-Marlborough region will be abuzz with regattas and off-shore races over the summer months.

Recently we emailed all Clubs about the membership project we are undertaking in response to positive support for the initiative at the 2013 Yachting New Zealand AGM. Kelly Fong is now in the office and on the telephone to a selection of Clubs to gather information around current membership categories and break-downs. If you hear, or have already heard, from Kelly I greatly appreciate you helping out with her requests. The ultimate goal is to make the right decision around how to most fairly attribute our affiliation levy.

Far North marinas in Whangaroa, Kerikeri & Opua are joining the Northland-wide fight against Mediterranean fanworm & it may affect the ability of touring holiday boaties to find marina accommodation for their boats this summer.

The 12th edition of the ever popular Sir Peter Blake Torbay Regatta saw huge numbers descend on the Torbay Sailing Club over the weekend of 7th – 8th December.

The ribbon was cut on a new wharf on the west side of the Otago Harbour on Sunday 1 December. In the 14 August 2013 edition of Briefings an article appeared about the new piles being driven to herald the start of construction of the long awaited new wharf for the Burkes St Leonard’s Boating Club. Now it is pleasing to follow up with another article about the successful completion of the project.

It is great to see that 34 clubs have now registered for the Volvo National Sailing and Boating Day, set to see Sailing Clubs around New Zealand open their doors to the public with plenty of on water action on Sunday February 16th 2014.

ISAF has confirmed the timing of the 2015 ISAF Youth World Championship Regatta highlighting a short time turnaround of less than five months between the 2014 and 2015 editions of the pinnacle international youth regatta.

The Clarks Beach New Year’s Regatta set for 1st – 3rd January 2014 is a great way to start the New Year.

The second of five 2013-14 ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas wrapped up in Melbourne, Australia as the sailors were taken to the edge on the final day of racing. Highlights from all ten Olympic events are available below:

NZL Sailing Team’s youngest Laser campaigner, Thomas Saunders of the Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club, has secured his first medal at an ISAF World Cup Regatta winning silver in Melbourne over the weekend.

Five Medal Races wrapped up the action at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. A strong northerly breeze met athletes at Sandringham Yacht Club for the final day of ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. With gusts over 20 knots there were thrills and spills aplenty on the Stadium course as fans gathered on the Yacht Club balcony to enjoy the spectacle.

Fantastic news with Scott Leith securing another World Championship with a day to spare.

Media are invited to join the NZL Sailing Team to celebrate the successes of 2013 and the launch of the 2014 NZL Sailing Team.

At its November meeting, the ISAF Council and the ISAF Racing Rules Committee authorised an urgent rule change to Appendix B of the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing. The change will come into force on 1 January 2014.

The construction of the Westhaven Promenade is underway and over the next ten months 600m of timber boardwalk and 900m of concrete path will be constructed from just east of Swashbucklers, to the Westhaven Drive/Curran St intersection.

A completely different set of conditions prevailed for the second day of racing at ISAF World Sailing Cup Melbourne. In contrast to the high temperatures, fresh winds and blue skies of the opening day, racing in the first session of the day limped away in light southerly winds, with overcast skies, light rain at times, a cross-sea and plenty of postponements.

There was a great turnout for the two day Wairoa Regatta held over the weekend of 30 Nov – 1 December.

A little update to let you know what we have been up to, in this past month, not long since our last post, but we have been keeping busy! It has been no rest for the wicked as we headed off overseas again, this time to Oman and Malaysia. Two countries that we hadn’t been to before, so we were looking forward some new experiences.

Summer arrived for the first day of racing at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as a hot northerly wind from Australia's outback blasted across the city and onto Port Phillip Bay. In the early morning the breeze driven by temperatures in the mid to high 30's, gusted to 25 knots but had eased to a more pleasant 15 knots by the start of racing. Being an offshore breeze, the water was flat and conditions were perfect for sailing.

Kohimarama Yacht Club is proud to be hosting the Auckland Champs for two of New Zealand’s biggest youth fleets in the waters off Kohimarama Beach over the Auckland Anniversary long weekend.

The dedicated and hard-working team behind the hugely popular Bay of Islands Sailing Week has been recognised after it was revealed at last Friday night’s 2013 Volvo Yachting Excellence Awards that the regatta scooped the prestigious Yachting New Zealand President’s Award.

Wakatere Junior Regatta Sat 14 Dec 2013: Wakatere would love to see all the junior sailors at the 2013 Wakatere Junior Regatta. NOR attached. Pre-registration with a lunch option is available. More information can be found at the Wakatere Boating Club website

Hamilton Yacht Club invites Opti sailors to ‘Come and improve your sailing’ at HYC’s OptiSail 2014 camp on 13-16 January 2014.

If you only do one boating event this summer, make it the Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta on 27 January 2014, and be in to win a trip to Hawaii, a voyage of the Spirit of New Zealand, a Stand Up Paddleboard, cash, or prizes from iconic Auckland businesses, is the call from the country’s oldest sporting event, that originated as a celebration of Auckland’s founding 174 years ago.

Rolling over in the sun, I turn and ask Andy if he was nervous about laying aloft. A few seconds passes, before his lopsided, sunny grin breaks through, and he shakes his head erratically: "Nup." His father, leaning against a pin rail and backlit by the blue Tasman waters, ruefully admits "I've never liked heights. But it was a real moment."

Voodoo (RAYC, Simon Manning, Andy Robertson with Andrew Brown/Adrienne Rekke) won the 2013 North Island Champs hosted by Sandspit Yacht Club and sailed in the waters of Kawau Bay.

Following on from Kate Spackman’s news of their very successful learn to sail programme in Christchurch, there is a similar set up at the other end of the country in Kerikeri.

Organising the level 1 sailors

Do you live within the catchment of Nelson Yacht Club? Do you have a disability, and are you keen to try sailing? New Zealand's oldest yacht club is in for something new - accessible sailing.

On the golden anniversary of the Award the prestigious 2013 House of Travel Sailor of the Year has gone to Peter Burling and Blair Tuke.

Prior to the Round White Island Race commencing, 19 boats had officially entered making it the biggest fleet to line up for some time. 17 of those boats made the start line and nine finished the 320 nautical mile challenge.