Issue date
Our NZCT regional development managers bring you the latest news from across the country, including a call to nominate a young club leader to participate in the 2025 Blake Inspire programme.
Blake Inspire is a week-long environmental leadership programme.
Wanted: Nominations for environmental leadership week
Yachting New Zealand and Blake NZ have teamed up to give two young club members the opportunity of a lifetime - and we need your help to decide who will receive it.
Clubs are encouraged to nominate a young member (school year 11, 12, or 13 during 2025) to represent their club at the Blake Inspire programme in December.
The programme is a week-long residential leadership development programme in which students work with scientists, environmental experts, a diverse range of leaders, and other like-minded students to develop strong leadership skills while learning about topical environmental issues and how they can tackle them.
Participation, adventure and learning are all key requirements for delegates. They will take part in environmental and marine science activities and visit businesses and local organisations to learn about what they are doing to reduce their impact on the environment.
Two scholarships are available for the programme from December 1 to 5, 2025, and will be awarded to recipients nominated by a Yachting New Zealand-affiliated club.
"The ideal candidate will be a club member who is active in club committees, involved in your club's Clean Club programme, or is an instructor delivering RŪNĀ," said Yachting New Zealand national sport development director Raynor Haagh.
"In addition to attending the Blake Inspire programme at no cost, Yachting New Zealand will also cover the costs for the successful candidates to attend the 2025 Yachting New Zealand club conference."
The club conference is a biennial event that brings together club leaders from across the country to plan, network and help improve the quality of experience your club provides.
This year's event will take place at Bucklands Beach Yacht Club in Auckland on Saturday, May 24.
Click here to read more about the 2025 Yachting New Zealand club conference.
Applications for the Yachting New Zealand Blake Inspire scholarship close on March 31, and you can submit your application by clicking here.
Lukas Walton-Keim and Lucy Bilger won at FOIL Bay of Islands. Photo / Jacob Fewtrell Media
FOIL Bay of Islands honours for Walton-Keim, Bilger
Lukas Walton-Keim and Lucy Bilger were crowned New Zealand national kitefoil champions for 2025 at the FOIL Bay of Islands late last month.
Walton-Keim, who made his Olympic debut in Marseille last year, won five of eight races to see off the challenges of Oscar Timm and Andy Robertson.
Bilger beat another 2024 Olympian Justina Kitchen by two points to finish first female and sixth overall. Noora Ruskola was third.
Robbie Naismith, Robbs Hielkema and Jeremy Peck made up the podium in the silver fleet.
In select other results, Josh Armit beat Eli Liefting in the 8m windfoil fleet, with Vlad Misescu winning the youth title.
Stella Bilger finished ahead of Aimee Bright in the 7.3m competition, with France's Juliette Babey the overall youth winner - four points ahead of Kiwi Margarita Konstantinova.
In the wingfoil fleet, national champion Sean Herbert won a tight contest against Kosta Gladiadis and Jeremiah McDonald.
Full results here.
Ray Hall is the 2025 NZ Finn national champion. Photo / Sail Lens Photography
Hall claims national Finn crown
Ray Hall is the new Finn class national champion after claiming victory at the recent nationals at Waiuku Yacht Club. The Plimmerton Boating Club sailor dethroned last year’s winner, Richard Hawkins of Port Chalmers Yacht Club, who finished second, with fellow Plimmerton member Karl Purdie taking third.
The regatta was a big test for the 21 competitors, with the North Island championships preceding the nationals, creating a five-day, 15-race challenge. The fleet featured strong representation from across New Zealand, including five South Island sailors, as well as two competitors from Queensland.
107 entries have been received for the 2025 PredictWind wingfoil national championships. Photo / Jacob Fewtrell Media
Huge fleet, big names at wingfoil nationals this weekend
Over 100 sailors - including several past and likely future Olympians and 34 female competitors - will line up at Wakatere Boating Club this weekend (March 7 to 9) for the 2025 PredictWind wingfoil national championships.
Defending champion Sean Herbert will again be one of the favourites for the crown, but he can expect a significant challenge from current UK and Australian champion Jeremiah McDonald, while the youth fleet includes Aussie Henry Myers, Kiwi star Kosta Gladiadis and Emma Webb.
Olympic great Barbara Kendall will be one of the front-runners in the masters fleet, alongside Ian Vickers - both fresh off victories in light and shifty conditions at the recent FOIL Bay of Islands.
See the full list of 107 entries here.
Tom Pilkington with the NZ Starling match racing national championship trophy. Photo / Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Pilkington top at Starling match racing
Tom Pilkington claimed victory at the NZ Starling match racing national championships held at Glendowie Boating Club over Waitangi weekend.
Representing North Harbour, Pilkington triumphed in a thrilling final against Leo Brown (South).
The event showcased outstanding skill and determination from all competitors, with each match delivering intense and tactical racing. Blake McKinnon (Auckland) secured the bronze medal, rounding out a highly competitive podium.
Members of the NZL Sailing team with Milford Cruising Club members. Photo / Supplied
MCC sizzles with sports gear initiative
The NZL Sailing team traded tillers for tongs last month, hosting a sausage sizzle at Milford Cruising Club to recognise the club’s outstanding support of the 2024 NZLST Sports Gear Collection Drive. The event was a well-deserved reward for members who contributed to the initiative, which aims to repurpose sports equipment for those in need.
Run in collaboration with Replay NZ and the Kindness Collective Foundation, the drive encouraged Auckland yacht clubs to donate used and unused sporting gear. Last year, over 200 items were collected across 15 different sporting codes, helping to provide much-needed equipment to communities around New Zealand.
NZIODA set to name world championship team
Murrays Bay Sailing Club’s Matteo Barker claimed overall victory at the New Zealand International Optimist Dinghy Association (NZIODA) team trials regatta at Howick Sailing Club, finishing with 44 points after 12 races. Barker was nine points ahead of Jake Dickey (Napier Sailing Club), with Nathan Soper (Murrays Bay) securing third place. Zofia Wells (Glendowie Boating Club) was the top-placed female, seventh overall.
NZIODA will now finalise team selections for the world, European, and North American championships. Next on the calendar is the South Island Optimist championship at Naval Point Club Lyttelton this weekend, marking the final event in the Oborn’s Nautical South Island Traveller Series.
Sam Clarke and Chloe Turner finished top in the ILCA 6 at the 2025 Junior Sail Auckland. Photo / Kohimarama Yacht Club
Strong turnout for Junior Sail Auckland
This year's Junior Sail Auckland saw 155 sailors compete across five classes at Kohimarama Yacht Club on February 15 and 16. The event featured strong performances across all fleets, with competitive racing in the Optimist, Starling, 29er, ILCA 6, and RS Feva.
Winners included Matteo Barker and Greta Hutton in the Optimist open fleet; Leo Brown and Alexis Heckler in the Starling open fleet; and Hugo Smith and Louis Quere in the 29er class. The ILCA 6 fleet was topped by Sam Clarke and Chloe Turner, while Lara Davies and Megan Schussler were first in the RS Feva competition.
Gulf Classic around the corner
The Waikato Yacht Squadron is set to host the Gulf Classic regatta from March 14 to 16. Open to both keelers and trailer yachts, the event features three courses: a 40-nautical-mile race for trailer yachts, a 60-nautical-mile course for more experienced trailer yacht sailors, and an 80-nautical-mile challenge for keelers and A-Class trailer yachts. The routes take sailors around several iconic Hauraki Gulf landmarks, including Waiheke Island, Rakino Island, Rangitoto Island, and Motutapu Island.
Known for its strong sponsorship and impressive prizes, the Gulf Classic attracts crews from across New Zealand, offering both competitive racing and great camaraderie.
For more information and to enter, click here.
Oliver Tiedemann took out the overall title at the 2025 O’pen Skiff national championship, with Dahlia Fyfe the top female. Photo / Supplied
O'pen Skiff winners crowned
Oliver Tiedemann and Dahlia Fyfe have been crowned the 2025 O’pen Skiff national champions after standout performances at Plimmerton Boating Club over the weekend.
Fyfe led the competition at the end of day one and finished second overall, securing the top female and under-17 titles. Sol Douwes claimed third overall and second in the under-17 division, while Tiedemann, the overall winner, also topped the under-13 category, with Honor Fyfe finishing third in that age group.
Click here for the full results.
Only five of the yachts competing in this year's WineWorks Marlborough Wine Race made it to the finish. Photo / Waikawa Boating Club
Fickle breeze takes fizz out of wine race
Unpredictable breeze put sailors to the test in the annual WineWorks Marlborough Wine Race - with only five of the nine competing yachts making it to the finish.
The Waikawa Boating Club event, inspired by France’s Beaujolais Nouveau wine race and held on February 14 this year, sees yachts carrying bottles from Marlborough wineries in a race from Picton to Resolution Bay. Trophies are awarded for first over the line and first on handicap.
This year’s race saw a competitive fleet, with solo sailor Matt Michel on Astruso leading the charge, carrying Pinot Noir from Catalina Sounds. He was closely followed by Clive Ballett on Coup d’Etat (Grove Mill) and Aaron Blackmore on Oldsmobile (Eradus and Cirro).
Full results here.
Almost 100 sailors participated in the 2025 Interislander Optimist challenge and Port Marlborough Starling championships. Photo / Lamirana Photography
Sailors flock to Interislander
The Interislander Optimist Challenge and Port Marlborough Starling championships drew 97 sailors, proving that while it is no longer a ranking regatta for the NZIODA, it remains a key fixture in the calendar.
The event took place at Queen Charlotte Yacht Club on February 22 and 23, with local sailor Charlie Bridger triumphing in the Starling, securing victory by four points over Nico Holmes. Lucy Luxford and Mila Blundell were the top two females, finishing third and fourth overall.
In the Optimist class, Luca Blundell claimed the title, with Alina Romanenko finishing as the top female in fifth place.
Southern charm: Annual regatta a big hit
The Lake Mahinapua Aquatic Club hosted its annual regatta over the first weekend of February, drawing sailors from across the South Island.
Competitors from Pleasant Point Yacht Club, Waimakariri Sailing Club, Stewarts Gully Sailing Club, and Naval Point Club Lyttelton joined local sailors for a weekend of racing in challenging conditions.
The event once again featured the Firebug class West Coast championships, with six Firebug sailors making the trip. Cate Ambury took first in the junior division, while Ian Douglas won the senior category. Other divisions included open senior dinghies, won by John Kennedy, and open trailer yachts/multihulls, where Kim Humphreys finished first.
Wanaka Yacht Club gets facelift
Wanaka Yacht Club has recently undergone significant upgrades, including erosion remediation, a refurbished car park, and a refreshed exterior. A local contractor and club member carried out the erosion work and car park improvements, while club coaches took on the task of repainting the clubhouse.
The club’s changing rooms have also been expanded, and the council has completed beautification efforts, including a new cycle and walkway behind the building. These improvements enhance the club’s facilities and surrounding area, supporting its continued growth.
Naval Point Club Lyttelton hosted several Christchurch teachers for a Moanamana professional development day. Photo / Alisa Torgersen
ChCh teachers' Moanamana day
Christchurch teachers and community members gathered for a free Moanamana professional development day hosted by Naval Point Club Lyttelton last week, designed to equip them with essential skills for integrating marine science into their curriculum.
Led by Sally Carson from the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre, alongside Yachting New Zealand education lead Alisa Torgersen, the day focused on implementing citizen science tools within school planning.
Moanamana is the third and final module of Yachting New Zealand's RŪNĀ schools engagement programme. It is designed to engage schools, kura and their communities in marine tiakitanga projects that will build New Zealand's Blue Belt.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to engage schools in hands-on marine conservation, with Moanamana set to be rolled out in up to five clubs this year.
"Teachers will be able to choose from several citizen science data collection activities at their local RŪNĀ club. It is another opportunity for schools to connect to their environment, monitor changes, and work on an NZL Blue Belt project similar to Predator Free NZ," Torgersen explained.
For more information on the Moanamana citizen science toolkit, click here.
The Southland championships were held at Colac Bay. Photo / Supplied
First half of Southland Champs in the books
Colac Bay welcomed Optimists, Hobies and Z-Class dinghies to last weekend's Southland Champs. Four races in light wind were held on Saturday and two on Sunday, with beach launching and retrieval running smoothly despite the conditions.
Sailors and families stayed at the local marae, where they were welcomed with a traditional ceremony. The marae also served as the event base throughout the weekend.
Bluff Yacht Club hosted the event on behalf of the Southland Yachting Association and Southland Trailer Yacht Squadron, with the second half of the championships, featuring trailer yacht classes, taking place at the Bluff Oyster Regatta (March 22 and 23).
