More than 150 sailors will gather for the 2017 Optimist National Championship to be staged in Napier from Friday.
The Napier Sailing Club-hosted regatta will beckon 177 aspiring young sailors from throughout New Zealand as well as those from New Caledonia, Australia and Tahiti.
Championship convenor Barbara Arnott said they were delighted with the number of entries in the Toyota-sponsored regatta.
"It is wonderful to host so many children and their families from all over New Zealand and the Pacific," said Arnott, a former mayor of Napier.
"The Napier Sailing Club has a great reputation for hosting regattas and we think that our site and facilities are a wonderful attraction in addition to the opportunity for families to spend a long weekend in Napier," she said.