The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Auckland to Musket Cove, Fiji Race is now less than three months away. The word is that the fleet is shaping up to include a wide range of boats of different performance characteristics, from the 11m Lew Anne, up to the likes of TeamVodafoneSailing and a youth challenge organized by the New Zealand Sailing Trust, aboard Lion New Zealand.

Auckland Regatta kicks off on 22 March, and that means it is time to get your entries submitted to enable organizers to finalize divisions and planning. This is the sixth year of this popular event, that includes awesome social activities including the Steinlager Beach Party at Motuihe Island. Visit www.aucklandregatta.co.nz for entry forms and details.

Kerikeri Cruising Club in the Bay of Islands hosted the 470 National Championship over 1st – 3rd March. Lesley Haslar from Kerikeri Cruising Club reports on the regatta… Nine eager pairs on the 470 class sail boats battled across the start line in each of the ten races off from Kerikeri Cruising Club in the Bay of islands. Day one Harris Bindon and Alexander Bryning (local Kerikeri boat #43) said “the wind was up and down today and we had a few breakages, let’s hope that doesn’t happen again. One of our goals is to beat my local mate Ned Dalbeth-Hudson on #21” - and they did.

Sailability Taranaki launched four new 303 Access dinghies and an inflatable rescue boat on Sunday 3rd March with a large group turning out to have a go. The day was a huge success with the Waitara Boating Club venue producing a nice breeze, flat water and great viewing for the parents and public, and a steady flow of participants.

At the 470 Nationals we had nine boats from Tauranga, Manly, Auckland and Kerikeri taking part. Kerikeri Cruising Club was a wonderful host club with a small core of friendly helpers. Water and cell phone coverage was short, and we didn't have access to internet, but that was more than compensated for by kiwi's running around on the lawn, dolphins playing around the boats and having sailing celebrity Torben Grael in our midst.

The New Zealand Marine Industry Conference is full steam ahead for another great event at the stunning Heritage Hotel in Queenstown on 3rd to 5th April. The Conference returns to Queenstown due to popular demand and have another great line-up of inspiring speakers to inform and entertain you. The key themes for this year's conference will be:

Susannah Pyatt (RNZYS) and her team of Jenna Hansen, Olivia Powrie and Heather Trudgen, representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, win the New Zealand Women’s Match Racing Championships 2013! About the win Pyatt commented, “We are pretty ecstatic actually; I can’t stop smiling, we did it!” Pyatt claims the Leith Mossman Memorial Trophy for 2013. Pyatt won 2 out of 3 races against Melinda Henshaw (RNZYS) in the Semi Finals, despite losing the first race to Henshaw by 40 seconds; the biggest margin of the semis.

Samantha Osborne (RNZYS) retains the lead on day two of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron New Zealand Women’s Match Racing Championships 2013. As with the previous day, second highest ranked skipper in the event, Osborne won all of her six races by good margins. Osborne’s win against 2nd place holder Susannah Pyatt was by a margin of 26 seconds. Osborne commented, “Today we were more confident, more clinical; we learnt a lot yesterday and today we were able to capitalize on it. Today felt a lot more fluid.”

Northland Sailing… Have a Go! Instructor Reuben Corbett had a big week out at the Albany Junior High Camp at Shakespeare Bay on the Whangaparoa Peninsula. Reuben and a few helpers, Woo Yeong, Sylvie Admore, along with Charlie Baillie Strong and Kim Admore from Yachting New Zealand, guided over 180 students through a modified Sailing… Have a Go! program.

Auckland Girl’s Regatta held at Kohimarama Yacht Club is just around the corner – mark 23 March on your calendar. Yachting New Zealand Regional Support Officer Kim Admore has been involved for a number of years, and describes the event as a lot of fun, “The regatta has really nice atmosphere around it and everyone who enters comes away with something . Highly recommended.”