Huge haul up for grabs at 180th Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta
by Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta 22 Nov 2019 15:47 PST
27 January 2020
Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta © Pete Le Scelle
Salty sea dogs in the City of Sails are eyeing up a pile of loot likely to total in excess of $10,000, which will be given away following the 180th Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta, on Monday 27 January 2020.
The prize pool includes money from entry fees allocated to winners in every division and class, plus a $1,000 Early Bird cash prize for one lucky person who enters the regatta before the end of the year. Several thousands of dollars worth of spot prizes will also be given away, including a holiday in Hawaii, a 10-day voyage on the Spirit of New Zealand, and a Viking kayak.
The Hawaiian holiday giveaway has been a popular drawcard for regatta entrants in recent years. The prize includes return flights for two people with Hawaiian Airlines, airport transfers courtesy of Hawaii Tourism, and four night's stay in the luxurious Equus Hotel in sunny Honolulu.
Young sailors aged between 16 and 18 years when they take part in the regatta can also enter to win an epic voyage on the youth development vessel Spirit of New Zealand. The prize, worth a whopping $3,500, will see the lucky winner sail away on the trip of a lifetime. The Spirit of Adventure Trust, who donated the prize, say the 10 day voyage gives young New Zealaders a whole new set of skills, lots of new friends and a new confidence to take on challenges in life.
New sponsor Burnsco has also come on board this year, offering up a Viking Lagoon youth kayak worth $499, plus other prizes totalling over $500. These - along with a host of other spot prizes including vouchers and experiences for kids and adults all over Auckland - will be drawn at the Prizegiving ceremony for the regatta, at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on Tuesday 18 February, 2020.
On the same night, the regatta's historic trophy collection will be awarded to winners in each division. These trophies, with a valuation of nearly $100,000, will be engraved with the names of the winners, and are permanently on display at the Maritime Museum. This ensures the city's finest skippers will claim a place in maritime history, as their forebears have done since the trophies were created in the 1860s.
Find out more and enter the 180th Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta online at www.regatta.org.nz. Entries for keelboat, classic launch and tugboat races received and paid by 31 December 2020 will go in the draw to win the $1,000 early bird cash prize.