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ne of only seven ‘Royal Yacht Squadrons’ in the world, RNZYS
plans to celebrate its birthday with a full year of on- and of-
water events.
Says Rear Commodore, Aaron Young: “The 150-year
legacy is worthy of more than just one event at one time, so we’re
marking this with a year of celebratory events and occasions, the pinnacle
of which will be the hosting of the 36th America’s Cup. The stars have
aligned – it will be a huge year for us.”
RNZYS has established a 150th anniversary committee to orchestrate
the event. Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf will be centre
stage for a series of sailing spectacles. The committee is working closely
with Emirates Team New Zealand, along with central and local government
agencies, as well as various supporting associations such as NZ Marine.
The line-up of events is yet to be confirmed but will kick of with
the New Year’s Day Regatta at Kawau Island that is tipped to attract the
attention of visiting superyachts who already have Auckland firmly within
their sights over this period.OTHER EVENTS INCLUDE:- Great Barrier Island cruising race/rally from Kawau and Auckland –
that will include superyachts (and potentially J Class yachts) - Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta
- America’s Cup 36 (December 2020 through March 2021)
- 12m Class – many of these are ex-America’s Cup boats such as the
famous Kiwi Magic – KZ - The Classic Yacht Associations of NZ and Australia have been invited
to participate - An oshore race from Australia (Sydney) arriving mid-January 2021
- An oshore race to Australia from Auckland – early June 2021 to join
the Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island regattas - National or world match-racing regatta – RNZYS has won the rights
to host World Youth Match-racing regatta in 2020, so this will be an
evolution of that event - RNZYS Youth Training Program (YTP since 1987) Graduate and
Alumni Regatta – the world’s most successful youth training sailing
programme has more than 1,000 graduates, many of whom have
competed internationally - A Trans-Tasman regatta between Australian and NZ’s leading yacht
clubs – 10 clubs competing in NZ with sailors aged 40 to 60 years - Navy Regatta – international navies have been invited
- Auckland Regatta – Auckland’s premier keelboat regatta
- International Council of Yacht Clubs (ICOYC) regional conference –
Asia-Pacific region - The Squadron Ball
- Royal NZ Navy and Sir Peter Blake Trust youth leadership and
conservation exercise - The final act of the year will see the publishing of a 150th anniversary
book (currently being put together by Ivor Wilkins). - Onshore, visitors to RNZYS will enjoy an array of land-based
entertainment and celebratory events.
Formed in 1871, the RNZYS was granted royal patronage by the British
Admiralty in 1902 and with it the right to fly the blue ensign. The RNZYS is
the ocial home of the America’s Cup after Emirates Team New Zealand
(ETNZ), representing the RNZYS, won the oldest sporting trophy in the
world at the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda in 2017.
For more information contact Hayden Porter – RNZYS General Manager
on 0272 222 556 or email [email protected]
RUNNING REPAIRS
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olvo Ocean sailors know they’re signing up for job that might
require – shall we say – an extreme level of commitment.
Aussie crewman Kyle Langford – a trimmer on the Dutch
entrant Team Brunel – discovered new depths of commitment
when he was asked to repair the yacht’s port rudder – while she was
travelling at around 20 knots.
The rudder struck an unknown object during the trans-Atlantic Leg 9 of
the race – from Newport, Rhode Island, to Cardif in Wales. The collision
removed a section of the rudder and Langford was sent overboard to sand
its leading edge.
Team Brunel – having just won Leg 10 into Gothenburg in Swden – sits
on top of the leaderboard in a dead tie with MAPFRE, on 65 points. One point
behind is Dongfeng Race Team – but with an additional bonus point for best
elapsed time to be added (after the Leg 11 finish), Dongfeng is also on 65
points. All of which sets up for an exciting final leg sprint into The Hague.