With just under 20 days until the third edition of the PIC Harbour Classic, excitement is building for what is fast becoming one of New Zealand’s premier yacht races. Inspired by the legendary Barcolana Regatta in Trieste, Italy—where more than 2,500 boats take to the water simultaneously—the PIC Harbour Classic has ambitious aspirations of reaching similar heights. But can it really become the Southern Hemisphere’s answer to the world’s largest regatta?
The Harbour Classic first set sail in 2023, drawing a modest fleet of 37 boats across five divisions, with the well-known Mayhem, a TP52 class yacht skippered by Harry Dodson, claiming monohull honours and Attitude, a G-Force 1500 catamaran, taking the multihull title. The following year saw a steady increase, with 49 yachts and multihulls taking to the start line for the 17-nautical-mile race, showcasing a course that wove through Auckland’s spectacular waters. While the GC32 foiling catamaran Frank Racing, owned by Simon Hull, set the record with a blistering time of 58 minutes and 49 seconds, and Mayhem, a TP52 helmed by Harry Dodson, claimed monohull line honours in 1 hour, 29 minutes, and 41 seconds, Innismara, 1969 67-foot Bernie Schmidt design, was the overall handicap winner.
The 2024 edition proved that the event was more than just a one-off spectacle—it had the potential to become a staple in New Zealand’s sailing calendar.
For 2025, organisers have reimagined the course as a high-speed 14-nautical-mile sprint, with all boats starting simultaneously from North Head. Four course options have been developed to ensure flexibility, allowing for adjustments based on wind and tide conditions. The final course will be decided in the days leading up to the event, with possible finishes at North Head or further in the inner harbour near Jellicoe/North Wharf.
Beyond the racing itself, the event schedule offers an enticing mix of social and sailing experiences:
Friday 28 February: Welcome party and race briefing at Wynyard Pavilion
Saturday 1 March: Race day, followed by prizegiving and an afterparty featuring SIX60
Sunday 2 March: Boats depart Jellicoe/North Wharf
With a focus on attracting a diverse fleet, from competitive racers to weekend warriors, the event blends high-performance competition with an unbeatable social atmosphere.
The dream is bold—500 boats within a decade. But is it achievable?
Barcolana has history on its side, having grown over more than 50 years into a global spectacle that attracts yachts from all over the world. The Harbour Classic, while still in its infancy, has a few key advantages: Auckland’s reputation as the City of Sails, its world-class sailing conditions, and a rich maritime culture that has long produced some of the best sailors on the planet.
To reach the scale of Barcolana, the event will need not only local support but also international recognition. The key will be in marketing the Harbour Classic as a must-do event for sailors beyond New Zealand. Expanding partnerships, increasing sponsorship, and attracting more entries from Australia and the Pacific could be crucial in boosting numbers in the coming years.
The 2025 edition will be a key milestone in the event’s evolution. If it can build on the momentum of previous years and deliver a well-organised, exciting, and widely publicised regatta, then the Harbour Classic may well be on its way to becoming an iconic event in its own right.
For now, the race is on—both on the water and for the event itself to secure its place among the great regattas of the world.
