Issue date
Potential competitors are encouraged to sign up early when entries open on Sunday for November's much-anticipated RNZYS Three Kings Offshore Race.
This 500nm race will be open to only 40 yachts, with up to 20 of those being shorthanded with just two skippers. The race will be Cat 2 with advanced sea survival and first aid certifications recommended.
Entry will open at 7pm on Sunday and is open to keelboats 8.4m and longer and multihulls 10m and longer which meet the entry criteria.
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron expect strong support for the race and, in the event it's a sellout, will utilise a waitlist system.
Shorthanded sailing is growing in popularity and the Three Kings Race is being run with the support of the Short Handed Sailing Association of New Zealand (SSANZ).
The race also acts as a great lead-in to the SSANZ 2022 Northern Triangle and the 2023 Round North Island, and could be used to qualify for the RNI.
Starting at Westhaven on Thursday, November 18, and heading north, the yachts will sail past Cape Reinga and on to the Three Kings through the challenging strip of water where the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea converge.
The fleet will then battle it out to see who can be first around the group of islands traditionally known for their diving and excellent fishing, before turning the corner and hoping for a quick blast home, rather than a long uphill slog to the finish.
The race will use the YellowBrick tracking system, giving followers live position tracking reports, and many of the yachts intending to enter will provide onboard updates on the RNZYS Auckland to Three Kings Offshore Race Facebook page.
The entry link will become available at 7pm on Sunday on the RNZYS's Three Kings Offshore Race web page found here. The notice of race and more race information can also be found there.
