By SCOTT MacLEOD
Teenagers on the Spirit of New Zealand and its Australian counterpart Young Endeavour are expected to indulge in a little transtasman rivalry as their tall ships meet for the first time.
More than 25 young Australians will sail their vessel in the NZ Herald Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta on January 31, before heading north with Spirit on a 10-day trip to the Bay of Islands.
Although insurance clauses officially stop them from racing each other, there is expected to be some "unofficial" competition between the two ships.
The chief executive officer of the Spirit of Adventure Trust, John Lister, said there would be plenty of water fights and fun for the 40 youngsters on the New Zealand vessel.
The Herald is sponsoring the regatta, which has marked Auckland's birthday since a couple of ship's gigs, two whaleboats and two waka raced up the harbour in 1840.
The event looked to be dying in the 1990s as the number of entrants dropped from 1300 to 500, but the first event of the new century has already drawn more than 1000.
That number would rank it as the biggest one-day regatta in the world.
A director on the board of the Herald Foundation, Cathy Cunningham, said 240 guests would board the new frigate Te Mana during the regatta and raise money for the Spirit of Adventure trust.
She pointed out there would be no America's Cup racing for the fleet to contend with on the day of the regatta.
Cobbers on port beam, sir
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