Classic yachts at the annual regatta. Photo / Martin Sykes
The weather was perfect as Aucklanders took to the water to celebrate the region's Anniversary Day in the 168th annual regatta yesterday.
More than 400 registered yachts shared the harbour with three-masted boats Spirit of New Zealand and Soren Larsen, while members of the Warbirds flew overhead, adding
to the spectacle.
Spectators watched from vantage points such as Orakei wharf, Bastion Point and North Head.
The warship Te Kaha sat in the middle of proceedings, beginning the races with a cannon shot just before midday.
One of the feature races, the A-Class, welcomed back a newly restored classic boat, Rainbow.
Built in 1898 by the Logan Brothers, the boat was competing in its first race in the regatta for 50 years.
Captain Hamish Ross said, "It was a great occasion to have the boat back and sailing alongside its sister boats from Edwardian and Victorian times."
After losing its gib, Rainbow recovered to end in fourth place.
Harbourmaster officer Mick Courtnell reported an incident-free day. He said it was one of the quieter regattas for him, and he had caught "less than a dozen people speeding".
Auckland Anniversary Committee chairman Eric Harvey said the large turnout showed a resurgence of interest in the regatta, which was feared to be diminishing in recent years.
The event, first held in 1840, is one of the largest one-day regattas in the world and the oldest sporting event in New Zealand.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
