Auckland to Tauranga Race History & News
Read all about the iconic race's colourful history and competing sailors below!
Press Release
The Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club (TYPBC) are proud to announce that Altex Yacht & Boat Paint have come onboard as the premier naming rights sponsor for the next Auckland to Tauranga yacht race scheduled for March 2022.
The race will officially be named the Altex Yacht & Boat Paint 2022 Auckland to Tauranga Race.
TYPBC is particularly delighted to welcome Altex Yacht & Boat Paint to the race, Altex is an iconic brand across Australasia from a well-established Tauranga company. They are well known to our sport and we look forward to spreading the good word about their quality products.
The race will be held on the weekend of Friday 25th March – Sunday 27th March 2022.
Notice of Race to be issued in the coming weeks.
Farmer Autovillage Auckland to Tauranga Centennial Race - March 2021
Click the link above to check out all the details from the 2021 Race!
Happy yachties enjoy fast race to Tauranga
A brisk headwind NE breeze of 19-25kts and a lumpy seaway faced competitors as they crossed the Hauraki Gulf in the Farmer Autovillage Auckland to Tauranga Centennial Yacht Race/Rally.
Race organiser Roger Rushton says the crossing proved very challenging for all.
Click the link above to read the full article!
Auckland to Tauranga Yacht Race History
The 1921 race started at 7.30pm on Christmas Eve. It was started by the RNZYS at Kings Wharf and finished at the Mount. The Race was won by Waione (CF McWilliam) with the Tercels sailing Restless coming second. In this Race one of the yachts had carrier pigeons sent from Tauranga with progress reports!
Click the link above to read more!
The Auckland to Tauranga Race - How it Started
The Auckland to Tauranga Race was not conceived by a bunch of yachties who wanted to add some adventure to their sailing schedule. No – it was a Tauranga businessman, Colin Norris, who introduced the Auckland to Tauranga Race, giving it the title of ‘Ocean Race’ to promote the Tauranga Annual Regatta. The organising committee for the Annual Regatta was known as the Regatta Club, made up from officials from the local aquatic sports clubs. TYPBC had a strong representation within the Regatta Club.
Click the link above to read the full article!
Brian "BP" Petersen
The incredible story of the Tauranga bred sailor
The incredible record of a Tauranga bred sailor: current owner of “V5”, a TP52 entered in the Farmer Autovillage Auckland to Tauranga Centennial Yacht Race starting at 0900 on Saturday 27th of March 2021; past owner of Ran Tan II, an Elliott canting keel 50’, sadly lost at sea after keel damage; Maverick 11, an Elliot 52 Schooner; and Dictator a Kevin Lidgard 40’.
Click the link above to read the full article on Sail.World.com!
New Zealand Ocean Racing
Bianca Cook enters her Volvo 65 in the Farmer Autovillage Auckland to Tauranga Race
It's not exactly a fair fight on line but it might be a bit closer on handicap when Ian and Bianca Cook skipper boats in the upcoming Farmer Autovillage Auckland to Tauranga Centennial Yacht Race.
Bianca Cook and her New Zealand Ocean Racing Team will be eyeing up line honours when they race their Volvo 65 in the event while father Ian Cook will be racing the mighty champion of yesteryear Ranger.
Click the link above to read the full article in Yachting New Zealand's news!
Ranger is coming!
Ian Cook of Yachting Developments, current owner of the Classic Yacht “Ranger”, has kindly advised the TYPBC, that the iconic yacht will be taking part in the Farmer Autovillage Auckland to Tauranga Centennial Yacht Race, and will be part of the centennial celebrations that follow.
Built in 1938, Ranger won the A2T race in 1939 on line and was 3rd on hcp so is no stranger to Tauranga. Ranger totally dominated all Auckland A Class yacht racing from 1938 to the late 1960s, (forcing contenders for top yacht honours, to get better and better). Ranger is credited with breeding a crop of successful Kiwi sailors, many of whom have made it to the pinnacle of world yacht racing. Yachtsman like Chris Bouzaid (One Ton Cup), the late Sir Peter Blake (Whitbread, America’s Cup), Chris Dickson (AC), Sir Russell Coutts (Olympics & AC), and many more trace Ranger – and original owner/skipper Lou Tercel’s dedication to winning yacht races – somewhere on their path to international yachting success. These Classic yachts and launches represent the very best of New Zealand’s boat building skills of yesteryear and will be a thrill to view, so make sure you see this iconic yacht and her contemporaries when they come to Tauranga for the A2T race and the celebrations that follow over Easter of 2021.
Fleet 1, the Classic Fleet of vintage yachts and launches, (representing the 100 years of sailing at the TYPBC), will start at the RNZYS, Westhaven, Auckland at 0900 on Friday 26th March 2021, and cruise/rally to Tauranga over the weekend.
Fleet 2 will be for modern yachts, Keelers and Multihulls and Ranger. It will start at the RNZYS, Westhaven, at 0900 on Saturday 27th March 2021, will be nonstop as usual and end at A Beacon outside Tauranga harbour entrance. Let us see if the modern yachts can keep up with the famous line honours champion of yesteryear.
The race record is held by the Maxi Zana in a time of 9hrs 35mins 01secs with the Multihull record held by Sundreamer in 9.55.23. The very fast Orma 60 tri, “Vodafone” owned by Simon Hull, tried several times to take this record but the weather never played ball and unfortunately, she never quite managed to do so.
It is unfortunate that this historic Coastal Race will clash with the Auckland Regatta planned for the same weekend, but for those Owners and Skippers of Yachts and their crews who are looking for a coastal race that is totally challenging and rewarding, with an outstanding destination, then plan ahead, enthuse the crew, have your family stay over and enjoy the Jazz Festival, and together prepare to party and have a good time in Tauranga.
- Roger Rushton, Race Organiser