Boat World News

...around 300 boats and 350 youth sailors are expected to take part in the Barfoot & Thompson Beachlands Auckland Championships...

They may be small in size, but the centreboard fleets taking part in the Ports of Auckland Anniversary Regatta represent by far the largest portion of participants, with hundreds of sailors expected to take to the water in dinghies all over Auckland as part of the event on 28 January.

Most will be located at Maraetai Sailing Club, where around 300 boats and 350 youth sailors are expected to take part in the Barfoot & Thompson Beachlands Auckland Championships, the final day of which coincides with the Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta.

Over Anniversary Weekend, Maraetai will host the Optimist, Starling, RS Feva, 420 and 29er fleets. With five different classes taking part, it will be by far the biggest component of the Anniversary Regatta in terms of participant numbers, and one of the biggest events on the Auckland racing calendar, second only to the Sir Peter Blake Regatta.

A further three clubs around Auckland will also host centreboard sailing fleets as part of the Anniversary Day Regatta. Takapuna Boating Club is expecting a large fleet for the Anniversary Weekend Championships, with 11 separate dinghy and board sailing classes taking part. Dinghy sailing events will also be held at Tamaki Yacht Club and Narrow Neck Beach, while the classics, keelboats and tugboats will compete in the inner Waitemata.

Centreboard classes can enter the Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta via their host club.