Grace and Power on Display: Mastercard Superyacht Regatta

Ocean giants engaged in close racing on the Hauraki Gulf during the Mastercard Superyacht Regatta.

Grace and power on display

Words by Andrew Delves Photos by Jeff Brown One of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s major highlights of our 150th celebration calendar was the Mastercard Superyacht Regatta held in late February, and it didn’t disappoint.

To hold the first superyacht regatta in the world for over a year was a massive confidence boost for the superyacht industry here and around the world, and a great show of resilience by the RNZYS, and New Zealand.

With exceptional off-water events planned each evening, it was a blessing when the government announced that Auckland would move to Covid Level One the evening before kickoff – meaning we could proceed with the event we had been planning for more than three years in its entirety.

Seven superyachts were entered and lined up for four days of sailing: Tawera, Sassafras, Aschanti IV, Silvertip, Catalina, Miss Silver and Whirlwind. Not only were the yachts a sight to behold, but the City of Sails turned on exquisite conditions throughout, beautifully showcasing the backdrop of the Hauraki Gulf, it’s idyllic surrounding Islands, the North Shore’s beaches and the Auckland cityscape.

Six races were sailed across the four days, all off the East Coast, between North Head and Long Bay. Race Officer Harold Bennett set perfect courses to put these sailing monsters through their paces.

New Zealand-built Tawera took an early lead after Auckland Unlimited Race Day One, notching up a spectacular win in the first race of the day followed by a second-place finish behind Whirlwind in the final race of the day.

The 33m racing machine Silvertip came to the fore on BOAT International Race Day Two, securing a win in what was a long, light wind tactical battle to the finish line. As was the case with every race in this regatta, the speedy Silvertip crossed the line first, but with

an 11-minute margin to the next finisher, also claimed their first handicap win in “quite a few years”, with captain Tom Kinver singing the praises of their brand-new code zero.

Doyle Sails Race Day Three saw Mike Mahoney’s Tawera place a strong grip on the regatta trophy, replicating the first day with a first and second place finish.

The first race was a beauty, especially the magnificent final run to the finish as the wind filled out and kites were hoisted, providing a great sight for the spectators on the water and the helicopter collecting imagery from the air.

Another highlight of this race was the largest yacht in the regatta, the 44m Catalina, clinching a podium spot. The last race of the day saw fortunes flip, with Silvertip – last in the first race – claim a second win of the regatta.

Competitors were greeted by a glamour day on Barfoot & Thompson Race Day Four,

the final day of the regatta. Consisting of 16.5 nautical miles, the final race had it all with plenty

Top: The superyacht fleet racing against the stunning backdrop of the Hauraki Gulf. Above: RNZYS member Mike Mahoney’s Tawera was overall winner of the regatta.

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of tight crosses, lead and sail changes, as well as many hard-fought battles right to the finish line. Silvertip made it a hat trick of wins for the event, but it was the crew on Tawera who took home the overall spoils, finishing off their regatta with a second-place finish. They never slipped outside the top two in any of the races all week.

Tawera owner Mike Mahoney was a happy man at the final prizegiving celebration. “Unbelievable, given the climate we are operating under now, it shouldn’t have happened, but thanks to the Squadron, getting this regatta underway was just unbelievable. Everyone’s had a wonderful time, the races were fantastic, the courses were brilliant, and we are really happy to come out with a good result,” he said.

Catalina captain Sean Whitney summed up the regatta perfectly, describing exactly what we wanted to achieve with this world class event: “It was the best experience for us because we could engage with people, have fun, and get so much enjoyment out of being in a country like New Zealand. The sailing was fantastic, and we had a really spectacular time.”

This event wasn’t just about the on-water racing, with the team at the Squadron putting in an unbelievable effort with social events each evening. From the amazing opening event showcasing local food, beverage and culture, to the daily prizegiving’s each night in the Mastercard Dinghy Locker Bar, and finishing with an incredible final prizegiving party on the Saturday evening, a great time was had by all.

Mastercard Superyacht Regatta results:

1st, Tawera; 2nd, Miss Silver, 3rd, Silvertip; 4th, Whirlwind; 5th, Sassafras; 6th, Catalina; 7th, Aschanti IV.

Fun times for the motoryacht brigade

Day One of the Mastercard Motoryacht Challenge took the fleet from Auckland, to Kawau Island, and finished at Man O’ War Bay on Waiheke Island. The day included a sprint race on the way to Kawau, a native tree planting relay and foiling bike challenge at Lidgard House. The fleet finished at Man O’ War Bay, where fun activities including a Kiwi Kai challenge, saltwater golf course with fish food golf balls, wine tasting, quiz and a beach BBQ. The second and final day took the fleet on a cruise to Islington Bay, where the participants took on a guided relay to the top of our dormant volcano Rangitoto Island. This was another superb RNZYS 150 event showcasing the best of the Hauraki Gulf, NZ food and beverage, as well as some fun challenges and activities.

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