Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race / 1,250nm / 15 Days / Cat 1 Ocean Race

The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) are excited to announce their partnership for the 1,250nm Sydney Auckland Yacht Race.

A race between these two sailing meccas is incredibly exciting, the historic rivalry between us will only add to draw sailors from both sides of the Tasman Sea as well as internationally to compete enthuses RPAYC Commodore Michael Lockley.

For the first time in decades, we will see a fully crewed yacht race from Australia to New Zealand. The race will start on Sydney Harbour and finish in Auckland Harbour in time to help the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron celebrate their 150th Anniversary and enjoy the 36th Americas Cup.

Category 1 Ocean Race

This challenging Category 1 race is open to offshore cruising and racing yachts, Superyachts, ocean racing multihulls, as well as incorporating a rally for cruisers.

Having sailed across the Tasman Sea (twice solo) David knows from personal experience that this race will be one of the toughest and uniquest ocean races on the world offshore calendar. With nothing but the open ocean from the bottom of Australia and New Zealand to Antartica; 1,000nm to the south, the ocean swell can build rapidly in height, with no land to stop it for more than 2,500nm until it hits the shores of the Pacific Islands.

There are many reasons why more people have climbed Mount Everest than have sailed across the Tasman Sea and the rapidly changing nature of the Tasman Sea’s weather system is one of them.

With a large fleet of yachts expected, ranging from 36 to 100 foot in length and the electric pre-race village atmosphere at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, followed by the excitement of the build-up to the start on Sydney Harbour, its hard to describe and will probably only be second to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race in pre-start excitement. With spectator vessels, helicopters overhead and people lining the Sydney waterfront and cliff tops, the race start will be spectacular.

City of Sails

We’ll assemble in Sydney, giving us 3 days of crew preparation, training drills and final checks. It promises to be a unique experience from the moment you land in Sydney to the time you sail into Auckland, the city of sails and home of the Americas Cup.