Regatta success ensures repeat

Race director and spokesperson Ray Haslar

Northland has a year to prepare for the superyacht regatta of the South Pacific, the Millennium Cup, before it comes to town as part of the Bay of Islands Sailing Week in 2015.

The announcement, which was made in Opua at the conclusion of this year's Sailing Week, proved a fitting climax to the three-day regatta which was contested by 70 boats over 10 divisions.

The fleet's Sailing Week campaign began on Wednesday in sunny conditions with an ideal 15-20 knot northwesterly breeze. Conditions on day two lived up to the prediction by the event's respected nautical forecaster, Mike Quilter of Kerikeri: winds continuing in the 15-knot range.

However, a lack of wind on the final day forced all but one of the 10 divisions to be postponed until after lunch, thus allowing only one race to be held when the seabreeze finally picked up, although, as visiting Australian judge Stephen Merrington noted, this was "champagne sailing" at its best.

The main event, the A Division title, was won by Auckland boat Mayhem, a new TP52 recently imported from the US and skippered by Harry Dodson.

Also racing in the A division were two sailors from Team NZ's failed America's Cup challenge, Jeremy Lomas and Richard Meacham, accepting an invitation from skipper Chris Cornell to compete on local boat Kia Kaha.

Lomas said he "floated positions" on the boat and had a great time.

"We're not the fastest boat but we are trying very hard and enjoying the teamwork; all TP52s have their moments and the lead seems to regularly swap around. Actually, I sailed on this boat with Russell Coutts when it was called Alexus in 2006 and feel privileged to race on her again."

Another local boat to stand out was Kerikeri's Tongue Twister, the only entrant in the regatta to finish all her races over the three days.

Ray and Lesley Haslar - race director and spokesperson respectively - praised the work by volunteers in ensuring the regatta ran smoothly.

"Many of the volunteers remain year after year and make the running of this event on the water that much better. They come out of the tea tree for this," Ray laughed. Lesley said she was once again impressed with the positive attitude everyone showed this year.

"I couldn't believe all the positive comments, everybody saying they are coming back next year, just a happy group, even with the three-hour delay [on day three], they had fun!"