Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

First Kiwi entry as new sponsor announced for Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race

by Di Pearson/Sydney to Auckland media 28 May 22:49 PDT 11 October 2025
Royal Akarana Yacht Club © Royal Akarana Yacht Club

Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) takes pleasure in announcing Harken Australia and New Zealand as naming rights sponsor for the Sydney to Auckland Yacht Race (S2A) and that the first New Zealand entry has been accepted for the challenging 1250 nautical mile race across the Tasman Sea.

"We are delighted to welcome Harken Australia & New Zealand as the key sponsor of our race. The company has long supported sailing and is well known to us at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club having generously sponsored the Harken International Youth Match Racing Regatta for over 25 years. Their continued commitment to our sport is greatly appreciated," RPAYC Commodore, Rob McClelland said.

"We believe in the race," Grant Pellew, Managing Director Harken Australia & New Zealand responded. "Harken looks after boats from small Optis up to superyachts, so it fits our profile. It also fits in nicely because we have an office near the Alfreds and one near the finish line in Auckland.

"For me, personally, I see it as an event that will grow over time. I saw an opportunity to get involved, take up the sponsorship and help grow the event over the years," Pellew ended.

Commenting on V5's entry, Commodore McClelland said, "We welcome our first New Zealand entry. Brian (Petersen) is already well known to us and we look forward to seeing him again and witnessing V5's arrival to Brian's home port in Auckland at the end of the race, which is co-hosted by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club in New Zealand."

So far 10 entries representing Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia (NSW, Queensland, Vic) have been received, including Commodore McClelland's First Picasso, a Jeanneau 57.

"The race has already attracted double the number to that of the inaugural event. With more yachts expected to join the fleet, it promises to be an excellent trans-Tasman challenge," the Commodore said.

Petersen has booked a massive sailing program with his latest yacht, V5. It's nothing new for the Kiwi though. He has racked up countless ocean miles over a lot of years.

The S2A is a box he was to tick in 2023's inaugural race, but life decided otherwise. Petersen's previous yacht, Ran Tan II, suffered keel failure on delivery to the Transpac Race in 2019 and Covid meant the postponement of the RPAYC's biannual race in 2021.

It is a second chance for Petersen in the second edition of the S2A, which starts at 1pm on 11 October on Sydney Harbour: "We were going over for the first race, but the delivery across the Tasman went pear-shaped," he shares.

"But we (Petersen and his wife Keiko) flew to Sydney to watch the start of the race and we went to the Club (RPAYC) where we were looked after well. I caught up with Rob (McClelland) again in New Zealand after the finish and then we met again in Barcelona at the America's Cup.

"The race seems like a logical thing to do. There are no big ocean races out of New Zealand this year, so we will do it," Petersen said. "I'm looking forward to the start and getting out into deep blue again and stretching our legs."

Petersen has put together a mix of long and short ocean races and a couple of regattas, starting when he and his team deliver V5, the very first version of a TP52 designed by Alan Andrews in 2001, to New Caledonia for the Groupama Race starting 15 June.

After that, it's on to Sydney for the Noakes Sydney Gold Cast race in late July, followed by the Gold Coast to Mackay Race, 74 Islands Distillery Airlie Beach Race Week, Hamilton Island Race Week, the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race and ending with the Rolex Sydney Hobart.

It's a lot of ocean miles, but Petersen has been there and done it time and again.

"Doing all the racing I've done; it's still hard work. Paperwork, putting together a team, jumping through all the different hoops. But I enjoy sailing, the camaraderie and meeting new people," Petersen says.

As to competition in the S2A, Petersen says, "It will be interesting to see how we go against Antipodes (the Santa Cruz 72 design from Hong Kong set the record of 5 days, 3hrs 37mins 57secs). We should be faster than Frantic (the TP52 won the inaugural race) because of our canting keel."

The overall race winner's name will join Frantic's on the historic Lipton Cup. The hallmarked sterling silver trophy is valued at $90,000.

Petersen says, "I'm most looking forward to getting away from the shackles of everyday life, getting away from land, being on the water again and stretching our legs. And having a beer, a good steak and a red wine at the end.

"Hopefully, it will be like the first race and a blast across the Tasman. The trickiest part will be getting around the Cape Reinga tides. It's the most northernmost point sailing across from Sydney. And whether the tide is with you or against you, you need to keep your eyes open. Theoretically, it should be easier for us, because we sail around it quite often.

"It's a bit special knowing we're the first New Zealand entry," Petersen said. "I know there'll be a lot of people watching us in the race. I just hope we keep it all together and finish."

For all information, including entry and Notice of Race, please visit: www.sydneytoauckland.com.

Related Articles

Register for the 2025 Melges 24 U.S. Nationals
Hosted by Pensacola Yacht Club (PYC) on November 14-16 Online Registration is officially open for the 2025 U.S. National Championship, hosted by Pensacola Yacht Club (PYC) on November 14-16, 2025. Posted today at 4:18 pm
Nominations open for World Sailing Awards 2025
Presentation to be held at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire on 5th November Many of the sport's biggest names will be in attendance at the World Sailing Awards 2025, held on Wednesday 5 November at a gala ceremony at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland. Posted today at 4:12 pm
Mackay Bieker BM-V3 dominates at 2025 Moth Worlds
Innovation was on display at the just concluded Moth Worlds across nearly every area of the boat. The 2025 Moth World Championships in Lake Garda delivered thrilling racing across a wide range of conditions, featuring an elite lineup of Olympic champions, America's Cup helmsmen, SailGP stars, and the next group of up-and-coming youth. Posted today at 3:07 pm
A Q&A on the 2025 Corsair Nationals and the BBMHR
Peter Vakhutinsky and Andy Houlding discuss the 2025 Corsair Nationals and Buzzards Bay Multihull Re If you race, sail, or love multihulls and live in New England (or the Northeast), the Corsair Nationals and Buzzards Bay Multihull Regatta should be on your radar. Posted today at 3:00 pm
HYC names Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup team
Howth Yacht Club is proud to confirm its final team selection Howth Yacht Club is proud to confirm its final team selection for one of the most prestigious events in world amateur sailing: the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, taking place in Newport, Rhode Island from 6-13 September 2025. Posted today at 2:48 pm
52nd Annual Governor's Cup Yacht Race preview
One of those time-honored traditions for Chesapeake Bay sailors With a 68.6-nautical-mile main race course from Annapolis, three other race routes are available to area sailors, all finishing at St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM). Posted today at 2:43 pm
OK Dinghy World Ranking July 2025
Patric Mure is the new World No.1 Patric Mure has become only the 11th person to reach the top of the OK Dinghy World Ranking list as he takes over the No.1 spot from Australia's Roger Blasse, who drops to fourth. Britain's Andy Davis and Nick Craig move up to second and third. Posted today at 2:07 pm
Double Podium For Team Allen
Enzo Ballanger sailed fully equipped with Allen hardware to a Moth Worlds victory Representing Team Allen through its French distributor, XPO, Enzo Ballanger sailed fully equipped with Allen hardware to a dominant victory at the 2025 International Moth World Championship. Posted today at 11:00 am
New concept & programme for the Yacht Racing Forum
An updated concept designed to reflect our delegates' expectations This year, we will merge the conference on the Management and Business of the sport and the Design & Technology Symposium, enabling all participants to attend the entire event. Posted today at 10:50 am
Blind Sailor's solo Round the Island Challenge
Dani A. Pich is aiming to navigate his Patí Català catamaran around the Isle of Wight next week A truly remarkable challenge is underway on the Solent, with blind sailor Dani A. Pich aiming to sail solo around the Isle of Wight in a catamaran dinghy that has no rudder, no centreboard, no boom and is steered by the use of balance and body weight. Posted today at 9:06 am
Switch One DesignCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERZhik 2024 December