http://www.boatinternational.com | June 2017Above: Russell, in the far
north of New Zealand’s
North Island, is the spiritual
home of the Millennium
Cup, and its historic Duke
of Marlborough Hotel,
right, remains the social hubTop: Tawera, winner of this
year’s Millennium Cup.
Above: you can sail with
dolphins in the Bay of IslandsNEW ZEALAND
Millennium Cup, Bay of IslandsNew Zealanders are renowned for being
down to earth and their warm hospitality
shines through at the Millennium
Cup. “Everyone’s taking it seriously but
they’re having fun with it,” says regatta
veteran Hayley Latham-Byrne, crew on
33.8 metre Silvertip.
Held in the height of summer, with
temperatures in the mid 20s and typically
10 to 15 knots of breeze, the regatta also
highlights one of New Zealand’s most
spectacular cruising grounds, the Bay
of Islands, where it’s common to see
dolphins skipping alongside the yachts.
“The scenery is absolutely magnificent.
It’s my favourite,” adds Latham-Byrne.
Based in Russell, New Zealand’s
first European settlement that is now
a charming town of fewer than 1,000
people, the off-the-water action centres
on the Duke of Marlborough Hotel,
which holds New Zealand’s oldest
alcohol licence. With eight yachts
competing in the past two cups, the
parties are close knit and exceptionally
sociable – New Zealand’s superb wine
doesn’t hurt either.
“The organiser, NZ Marine Export
Group, goes to great lengths to make
briefings, racing and social functions
very efficient and relaxed in the true Kiwi
spirit,” says Mike Mahoney, the owner of
28.1 metre Tawera, which has won
the cup twice. “Post regatta, the Bay
of Islands is probably the safest and
nicest cruising ground in New Zealand,
with a superb superyacht infrastructure:
heli tours, luxury lodges and a great
support network for catering, wines and
yacht maintenance.”S
uperyacht racing used to be a casual affair, remembered more for the giant
clambake that followed on the shores of Nantucket than for the actual racing. No
one dreamed of paying professional crews and the race committee wouldn’t
consider a protest until they got a case of chilled Taittinger. How times have changed.
“The essence is still the same; it’s all about having fun. What’s changed is what makes
up the fun component,” says Mike Cox, who’s been skippering and racing in superyacht
regattas since their infancy more than 20 years ago. Today, competition is fun.
Getting here has been an evolution. Experimenting with how to match up a 500 tonne
cruising yacht with what is essentially a raceboat with an interior has been interesting,
to say the least, and credit must be given to visionaries such as the late Ed Dubois, who
championed the belief that racing didn’t have to end at 45 metres.
There is now a whole host of regattas around the world that allow superyacht owners
to really sail their beasts. All of these are impeccably organised events that attract top
sailing superyachts and top-flight race crews. What differs is the experience...RACES
OF
YOUR
LIFE
From New Zealand to Newport,
the superyacht regatta calendar is packed
with opportunities for owners to race their
boats in stunning settings. Whether you
are looking for keen competition or are
more interested in the après scene,
Kate Lardy helps you pick
the perfect contestPHOTOGRAPHS: MARK SIMS; GETTY IMAGES’ ALAMY23 – 26 JANUARY 2018
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