Excellent Racing and Seconds Define the Bay of Islands Sailing Week 2026

After a weather-affected start that kept everyone guessing, the Bay of Islands did what it does best — and absolutely delivered. While racing was abandoned on the opening day, patience was rewarded as conditions improved and the remainder of the week unfolded into a classic Sailing Week regatta filled with tight racing, close finishes and plenty of smiles on and off the water.

The 2026 edition of Bay of Islands Sailing Week proved once again that even when the weather doesn’t play ball at first, the region always finds a way to put on a show.

From false starts to full throttle

With four solid days of racing completed, crews were treated to a mix of decisive line-honours wins and nail-biting handicap battles - often decided by seconds rather than minutes. Consistency quickly became the name of the game and every finish counted.

Racing A: Big boats, big performances

Racing A brought the offshore heavyweights to centre stage. TP52 Wired, skippered by Rob Bassett and Brett Russell, was unstoppable on the water, claiming line honours in every race. Behind them, Equilibrium and Explore Racing traded podium places throughout the series, while Georgia One showed impressive form as conditions tested crews and boats alike. On handicap, the points were tight, reflecting just how competitive the fleet was.

Racing B: Where margins really mattered

Racing B delivered some of the closest racing of the week. Daisy Duke set the benchmark on line honours, but once handicaps came into play the leaderboard shuffled regularly. Chain Reaction claimed the EHC title through consistency, while Men At Work 3 secured the PHRF series with a strong set of race wins.

Racing C: Consistency pays off

In Racing C, Nautilass was flawless on the water, winning every race on the water. Handicaps, however, told a slightly different story, with Young Magic taking the overall series thanks to a run of consistent top-three finishes. Boats like Ilex kept the pressure on throughout, ensuring nothing was settled until the final results were tallied.

Seconds, smiles and a great atmosphere

Across all divisions, handicap racing produced some of the closest finishes of the regatta, highlighting just how fine the margins were. Add to that a buzzing event at HQ and solid spectators throughout the week, and Bay of Islands Sailing Week once again proved it’s as much about the atmosphere as it is about the racing.

Despite the early weather challenges, the Bay of Islands well and truly delivered — rewarding sailors and supporters alike with memorable racing and classic summer conditions when it mattered most.

Looking ahead: Bay of Islands Sailing Week returns 17th–21st January 2027. Mark it in the diary.

Imagery Credits - Insight Media