Auckland
Mayor John Banks announced today the Auckland Festival of Sail – three major
international regattas to be held on the Waitemata Harbour
in March 2010
The
events will bring together leading professional international match racing
skippers and teams and top-ranked amateurs for 23 days of quick-fire, top-level
competition.
The
events are:
The Omega Auckland Match Race Regatta, from
March 1-6, will feature some of the biggest names in international match
racing. Entry is by invitation.
The Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland regatta, March 7 – 21, follows on from the
successful Louis Vuitton Pacific Series sailed in Auckland last February. The action will take
place over 14 days.
The BMW World Sailing Cup 2010 final, March 22 – 25. A leading international
keel boat event for amateur sailors. New Zealand won the right to host
the event by winning the 2009 world cup.
Mr Banks says
the festival is a perfect opportunity to showcase Auckland and its spectacular waterfront.
“Not
only is this great news for Aucklanders with another festival added to the
summer events calendar, it’s also great news for businesses, especially those
in the hospitality, tourism and marine sectors.
“Major
events are important economic drivers especially during the tough times that we
are currently experiencing. Securing this festival in Auckland is another step on our road to
establishing the city as a desirable international events destination and we
look forward to welcoming the world’s best sailors to our shores next year.”
The managing
director of Emirates Team New Zealand Grant Dalton said the three regattas,
combined with the Auckland International Boat Show at the Viaduct Harbour from
March 10 -14, will provide three weeks of top-level action right in the city.
“When the
idea of the Auckland Festival of Sail was first raised, many groups came
together to really put on a show for Auckland
and New Zealand.
“We have
worked closely with Auckland
City agencies, the Royal
New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Louis Vuitton, the World Sailing Teams Association
and many other organisations and individuals to make it happen.
“In a few
days we will be able to announce the names of the skippers who have accepted
the invitation to take part in the Omega Auckland Match Race regatta.”
“Emirates
Team New Zealand looks forward to the
top-level competition in March and thanks the sponsors, organisations and
volunteers who will make it possible.”
Scott Colebrook, commodore of the Royal New Zealand
Yacht Squadron, says the Squadron is proud to be undertaking an integral role in
the Auckland Festival of Sail.
“As the organizing authority of these three
significant events, running back to back, we will be placing huge demands on
our volunteer race and boat management personnel and resources.
“With assistance from Bucklands Beach Yacht Club we
look forward to our contribution to this marvellous combination of high profile
regattas featuring the world’s best yachtsmen and teams that will showcase our
City of Sails
to an international audience.”
The
president of Omega Ltd, Stephen Urquhart, said: “There has been a strong link between
sailing and timekeeping since sailors started to rely on high-precision marine
chronometers for navigation. OMEGA is the only company ever to have produced a
wristwatch that received marine chronometer certification and we are happy to
maintain our long nautical tradition with our support of the OMEGA Auckland
Match Race Regatta. The Auckland City Festival of Sail promises to be one of the
highlights of the sailing year and we look forward to seeing our old friends
from the world of sailing and to making new ones.”
Facts about events making up the
Festival of Sail
Omega Auckland Match Race Regatta
Dates:
March 2-6
Venue:
Westhaven with race courses laid on the inner harbour bounded by the harbour
bridge, Devonport and the CBD.
Regatta
format: This invitation only regatta will be raced in the world- renowned
Auckland MRX match-racing fleet. Emirates Team New Zealand
skipper Dean Barker, and current
world match racing champion Adam Minoprio will be competing. In coming days,
invitations will go out to some of the other leading international match
racers.
Prize-money
$US75,000
Race
management: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland
Dates:
March 9 - 21. Practice days March 7
& 8.
Venue: Viaduct Harbour
with race courses in the inner Waitemata
Harbour.
Regatta
format: Teams rotate through matched AC
Class yachts in a round robin and knockout semi-finals and finals.
Teams:
Teams that competed at Nice (BMW Oracle racing (USA),
TEAMORIGIN (UK), Artemis (Sweden),
Synergy (Russia), Azzurra (Italy), ALL4ONE
(France) and Team French Spirit have indicated that they intend to compete. Mascalzone
Latino has also said it will be at Auckland.
Race
management: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and volunteers; international race
official and umpires.
BMW World Sailing Cup final
Dates
March 22 - 25
Venue:
Westhaven.
Regatta
format: A mix of match and fleet racing, this event has become the leading
international keel boat regatta for amateur sailors.
New Zealand won the right to host the regatta
by winning the 2009 world final.
The New Zealand
crew will meet the winners of the national competitions held in Germany, Italy,
Malta, Portugal, Spain
and Hong Kong.
Race management: Buckland
Beach Yacht Club and
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
Auckland International Boat
Show
Dates:
March 10 - 14
Venue: Viaduct Harbour