The final day of the NZ Millennium Cup was noticeably lacking in breeze, though entrants didn’t let that dampen spirits.

While the race committee worked to plan a race around the conditions, the fleet headed to Motuarohia Island to make the most of the beautiful weather; and the opportunity to swim with dolphins.

Unfortunately at 3pm the announcement was made to cancel racing for the day.

“Due to the unstable nature of current weather conditions, and the time which it would take to get underway before the cut off point, we will now display AP over A; no more racing today,” was the declaration from principal race officer, Harold Bennett.

The cancellation of today’s racing left plenty of time for competing yachts to enjoy some of the best of the Bay of Islands. The local dolphin pod has become a much-loved feature of the regatta and crew were thrilled to be joined by them as they cooled off in the turquoise Bay of Islands waters.

The race day turned into a fun day as crew dived into the waters of Motuarohia with curious dolphins watching on as they swung from halyards and dived from bow sprits.

Returning to the race’s HQ in Russell, Aschanti IV cruised through the other yachts already at anchor before Catalina shot off a cannon and whipping across the Bay towards Waitangi. With sails up and sailing strongly, spectators on the shore of Russell, Paihia and Waitangi were treated to the sight of the 1956 Burmester-built yacht in full flight.

Prizegiving was held at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel where Miss Silver was crowned the 2021 winner. The 36.2 metre Alloy Yacht won three of three races which were handicapped by the ORCsy using the PCS system; a first in superyacht regattas.

“The spirit of this regatta is like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” said Sean Whitney, captain of Catalina as the formalities came to an end and celebrations got underway.

The regatta, which has run from 28-31 March, is one of the must-do regattas on the world superyacht circuit and has garnered a reputation as a fun, hospitable, but fiercely competitive regatta. The Cup marks the final stanza in an exhilarating season of racing in New Zealand.

The regatta was first held alongside the 2000 America’s Cup and is now in its 15th year. It’s the longest running superyacht regatta in the South Pacific and has built a reputation for its camaraderie and fierce competition.

Planning is already underway for next year’s regatta, returning to Russell and the Bay of Islands from 14-17 February, 2022.

​The Tawera Rum Barrel Challenge is a much-loved feature of the regatta. Each year, yachts' crew swap their sails for oars, jump into skiffs and battle it out for the top prize; a 20 litre barrel of Mount Gay Rum. 

This year's race was no different. Catalina's team started strong in the first heat - before an in-boat tumble took a toll. Aschanti IV overcame questionable technique to be the first to return to the beach, though forgetting to run to to the barrel nearly cost them the race. Limited skill and plenty of enthusiasm made for an exciting tournament. Go Hard lost an oar in the finals, losing a likely lead, while Tawera's Foul Play powered ahead to take out the competition. 

The chicken-costumed crew celebrated in style - with the 20 litre barrel of Mount Gay Rum shared among competing crews via an ice luge overlooking a Bay of Islands sunset. Thanks to Mike and Tracey Mahoney for the generous use of their skiffs for this ever-popular competition. 

Day two, Boat International race day has come to a close at the New Zealand Millennium Cup.
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Brilliant and breezy was how Tawera owner, Mike Mahoney described the day which saw Miss Silver maintain the overall lead. After today’s two races, characterised by good breeze, an appearance by the local dolphin pod and close racing, Miss Silver emerged as the leader in the race for the 2021 Cup.

The first race of the day began with Aschanti IV crossing the line near to the committee boat, taking a high line across the Bay with Sassafras following; both heading smartly for the first mark.

The rest of the fleet crossed with an escort of dolphins to send them on their way. The day’s initial race proved close, with Catalina and Aschanti IV pressed together towards the second mark and Aschanti IV taking the upper hand around the mark.

While Sassafras took line honours in both races of the day, no-one could hold back Miss Silver and she was declared winner of race two and three, as well as winner overall so far.

The day finished with the hotly-contested Tawera Rum Barrel Skiff Race. Each year, yachts' crew swap their sails for oars, jump into skiffs and battle it out for the top prize; a 20 litre barrel of Mount Gay Rum. 

This year's race was no different. Catalina's team started strong in the first heat - before an in-boat tumble took a toll. Aschanti IV overcame questionable technique to be the first to return to the beach, though forgetting to run to the finishing barrel nearly cost them the race.

Limited skill and plenty of enthusiasm made for an exciting tournament. Go Hard lost an oar in the finals, losing a likely lead, while Tawera's Foul Play powered ahead to take out the competition - to much celebration by spectators on the beach.

The regatta, which runs from 28-31 March, is one of the must-do regattas on the world superyacht circuit and has garnered a reputation as a fun, hospitable, but fiercely competitive regatta. The Cup marks the final stanza in an exhilarating season of racing in New Zealand.

The regatta was first held alongside the 2000 America’s Cup and is now in its 15th year. It’s the longest running superyacht regatta in the South Pacific and has built a reputation for its camaraderie and fierce competition.

The regatta will be available to watch live at millenniumcup.com.

Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions have amendments issued, and can be found at millenniumcup.com.

On a rare rainy day in the Bay of Islands, Miss Silver took the first win of the NZ Millennium Cup on Orams Marine Race Day.

Racing in the 2021 Cup started today, putting to the test an innovative scoring system which is being used for the first time in a superyacht regatta. With the two leading yachts finishing within four seconds of each other, race officers are pleased with how the system is working.

Racing began under glowering skies, unusual in this part of the world, and saw returning competitor Aschanti IV cross the line first in the start sequence.
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The 1954 Burmester yacht has returned to the Cup, alongside captain Kalle Ebner, with both racing in the inaugural NZ Millennium Cup in 2000. However, her lead wasn’t to last for long, with former Cup champion Tawera passing her before the first mark after a higher line from the start saw her make good time towards the first rounding mark.

Catalina and Miss Silver rounded the first mark within one minute of each other, with Sassafras two minutes behind, setting the tone for a close race which remained tight until the end.

From the Nine Pin, the fleet gave spectators a glimpse of the quintessential NZ Millennium Cup sight; yachts dotted across the famous waters of the Bay of Islands as they stretched out for home.

Coming down to the final mark, Tawera and Miss Silver locked into battle before a gybe saw Miss Silver pick up more pressure close to the line. On corrected time they were just four seconds apart but it was Miss Silver who was declared the winner of the first day’s racing.

Guests gathered for an evening function sponsored by Propspeed, introduced by Nona Pedersen general manager of Propspeed, and with a wine tasting carried out in person by Josh Scott of Allan Scott Family Winemakers.

Owners and captains will be onsite at a breakfast briefing presented by Ocean Media on Tuesday morning, before Boat International Race Day begins and competitors dive further into the competition.
The regatta, which runs from 28-31 March, is one of the must-do regattas on the world superyacht circuit and has garnered a reputation as a fun, hospitable, but fiercely competitive regatta. The Cup marks the final stanza in an exhilarating season of racing in New Zealand.

The regatta was first held alongside the 2000 America’s Cup and is now in its 15th year. It’s the longest running superyacht regatta in the South Pacific and has built a reputation for its camaraderie and fierce competition.

The regatta will be available to watch live at millenniumcup.com.

Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions have amendments issued, and can be found at millenniumcup.com.

The NZ Millennium Cup is underway, with an innovative handicapping system new to superyacht regattas.

New Zealand's summer of racing continues, as the NZ Millennium Cup gets underway with a welcome function at the Duke of Marlborough, sponsored by Southern Spars. 

The Sunday evening function marks the start of the South Pacific’s longest-running superyacht regatta and also heralds a new era in superyacht ratings systems.

This year’s regatta promises to be particularly exciting with the introduction of a different handicap scoring method developed for superyacht racing by the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC). This is the first time it will be used in a superyacht regatta, though it’s used by ORC for non-superyacht regattas, and uses an average wind speed experienced on the race course and computed on the elapsed time around the course of the winning boat in corrected time. 

The new system; Performance Curve Scoring was adopted by the race’s handicappers (ORC) and competitors specifically for the NZ Millennium Cup regatta, with representatives of each yacht expressing excitement about the new method to be used in the coming week. 

At a pre-race briefing, principal race officer, Harold Bennett, expanded to competitors on the plans for the race. Citing the drive to ensure exciting racing, Bennett explained morning races would be windward/leeward around the Ninepin as the top mark, while afternoon races would be longer, using a combination of the many islands of the Bay of Islands, plus occasional buoys, to ensure yachts are tested with on the wind, reaching and downwind legs.

With racing formalities out of the way, owners, crew and guests settled in to enjoy the hospitality of the Duke of Marlborough, including Mount Gay Cocktails which were a nod to Russell’s colonial-era reputation as one of the wildest ports in the Pacific. With Mount Gay’s Missionary’s Downfall in hand, guests were regaled by Bruno Trouble, as they prepared for racing in one of the world’s great natural playgrounds to begin on Monday morning.

The regatta, which runs from 28-31 March, is one of the must-do regattas on the world superyacht circuit and has garnered a reputation as a fun, hospitable, but fiercely competitive regatta. The Cup marks the final stanza in an exhilarating season of racing in New Zealand.

The regatta was first held alongside the 2000 America’s Cup and is now in its 15th year. It’s the longest running superyacht regatta in the South Pacific and has built a reputation for its camaraderie and fierce competition.

The regatta will be available to watch live at millenniumcup.com.

Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions have amendments issued, and can be found at millenniumcup.com.

With the NZ Millennium Cup Welcome Function about to start, there was one annual tradition which needed to be observed - the Mount Gay Welcome cocktail. 

Each year Mount Gay creates a series of cocktails for the Cup, setting the tone and inviting owners, guests and crew to enjoy the regatta's on-land events. This year's welcome function cocktail paid homage to the wild and varied history of Russell. 

Named Missionary's Downfall, this minty mix was a nod to Russell's early European reputation as the hell hole of the Pacific. 

Missionary's Downfall

• Mount Gay Black Barrel
• De Kuyper Peach Schnapps 
• Lemon 
• Mint 
• Pineapple 
• Honey 

The countdown is on, as the South Pacific’s longest-running superyacht regatta kicks off this weekend. ​

With an exceptional summer of racing underway in New Zealand, the final event of the season promises to wrap things up in style.

The New Zealand Millennium Cup kicks off on 28 March in one of the world’s best patches of yachtracing water. With world class crews and experienced owners and captains, superyachts will contest this final stanza in an exhilarating summer of yacht racing in New Zealand.

Former America’s Cup luminaries are set to join the event, which is known for battles on the track, and hospitality off it, and which comes at the end of a season of racing which saw New Zealand successfully defend the America’s Cup.

Adding to the excitement is the introduction of a different handicap scoring method developed for superyacht racing by the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC). This is the first time it will be used in a superyacht regatta, though it’s used by ORC for non-superyacht regattas and uses an average wind speed experienced on the race course and computed on the elapsed time around the course of the winning boat in corrected time. 

The new system; Performance Curve Scoring was adopted by the race’s handicappers (ORC) and competitors specifically for the NZ Millennium Cup regatta, with representatives of each yacht expressing excitement about the new method to be used in the coming week. 

“The ORC has fine-tuned its international superyacht handicap system specifically for our regatta to allow for boats of different sizes and sail configurations to race more fairly. We are very grateful for the huge amount of input from the entries and key stakeholders and are looking forward to using this new method,” says organiser Stacey Cook.

The regatta will run from March 28-31 and will be available to watch live at millenniumcup.com.

Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions have amendments issued, and can be found at millenniumcup.com.
The regatta was first held alongside the 2000 America’s Cup and is now in its 15th year. It’s the longest running superyacht regatta in the South Pacific and has garnered a reputation for its camaraderie and fierce competition.

With two Royal Huisman entries lining up to compete in this year’s NZ Millennium Cup, we take a look at the Royal Huisman pedigree which makes these competitors worth keeping an eye out for.

Royal Huisman has created hundreds of vessels since the shipyard was founded in 1884. From the delivery of Whirlwind XII, the shipyard’s first superyacht, in 1986, a total of 33 yachts over 30m/100ft have been delivered. Each yacht is a one-off; classic, modern or contemporary, power or sail, based on the designs of an array of well-known naval architects and designers for owners seeking the best available.

The key qualities these architects and designers have in common are a reputation for innovation, a high level of quality, and exceptional attention to detail. A Royal Huisman yacht is designed and constructed to be as trouble-free and operationally efficient as can be, in response to the testing environment of the world's oceans. 

Royal Huisman cleverly combines its own most important asset (a large in-house team, across a wide range of disciplines) with a selection of specialist partners, whose knowledge and involvement complement the shipyard’s intellectual capital.

The realisation of an exceptional custom yacht from the seeds of a dream presents an exciting challenge for talented minds and skills-rich hands. Benefitting from decades of experience in the creation of high performance race yachts, cruising yachts and luxury superyachts, Royal Huisman has adopted very effective responses to this challenge, encompassing a flexible yet integrated range of skills and resources.

Sailing a Royal Huisman yacht is an experience like no other, whether you’re the one at the wheel – benefitting from its performance, handling and balance in demanding conditions – or the one delighting in its finish and comfort at an idyllic anchorage. Small but important details of design and construction reveal themselves over time and affirm the value engineering that is inherent in every Royal Huisman yacht.

See Royal Huisman’s Whirlwind XII and Sassafras compete in this year’s NZ Millennium Cup.