The Big One – Round North Island!

by Zoe Hawkins

The third BSport Telecom Round North Island Fully Crewed Race will start at 11am on Saturday 6 February from Westhaven in Auckland Harbour.

Following successful races in 2004 and 2007, the race is held the year prior to the SSANZ (Short Handed Sailing Association of New Zealand) two-handed Round North Island Race, giving skippers a fantastic opportunity to sail around the North Island of New Zealand with a full crew before possibly taking on the challenge two-handed the following year.

Organisers select a clockwise or counter clockwise course based on the weather forecast, with Leg 1 always starting in Auckland and finishing in Wellington.

Despite the marathon distance, racing is close. In 2007, the first boat arrived in Wellington just 89 hours after the start, and the first four boats finished within seven mintues, after around 600nm of sailing. The fleet is hosted by the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and competitors are invited to take part in the 2010 Royal Port Nicholson Regatta during the weekend of 12-14 February. Leg 2 back to Auckland will start at 2.00 pm on Monday 15 February from the RPNYC in Wellington Harbour. The first boat would be expected back in Auckland on the afternoon of Thursday 18th February 2010.

Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron