Since its inaugural edition in 2023, the PIC Harbour Classic had steadily gained momentum. The fleet had expanded from 37 entries in its first year to 57 in 2024, and this year saw 80 entrants—though last-minute withdrawals and black flag penalties left 71 boats on the start line. Despite the disqualification of 10 boats under the black flag rule, the remaining competitors enjoyed ideal sailing conditions, with steady 12-knot northerlies, 14-knot gusts, and a slight sea state with a 0.2-metre NE swell at nine-second intervals.
Frank Racing takes top honours
Leading the charge was Frank Racing, a 10-metre GC32 skippered by Simon Hull, which blitzed the course in just 46 minutes and 10 seconds. This was nearly 12 minutes faster than their winning time in the 2024 edition of the race, though on a different course. Once again, Frank Racing delivered a dominant performance, reaffirming its status as the fastest boat in the fleet and setting a high benchmark for future editions.
More than half an hour later, the next boats crossed the finish line, led by Hooters, a 2011 Open 8.5 class multihull skippered by Craig Haslip, which secured second place in 1 hour and 38 minutes. Just 20 seconds later, Water Music, a 2010 classic Bruce Roberts Spray catamaran, crossed the line in third, helmed by Morgan Lagravière from Réunion Island.
First monohull home: Weapon of Choice
Less than 90 seconds after Water Music, the first monohull made its way across the finish. Weapon of Choice, a Houghton/Dibley 7.5, helmed by Phil Houghton of the Whangarei Cruising Club (WCC), crossed in 1 hour and 40 minutes, claiming fourth overall and monohull line honours. The boat had already made an impression earlier this year at the 2025 Bay of Islands Sailing Week (BOISW), and its commanding performance today reinforced its competitive credentials. Lucifer, an Open 8.5 class multihull from 2011 and skippered by Ed Ayre, followed an even closer 52 seconds later.
Zephyrus, a Ker 40 monohull helmed by Matt Cole, coming in at 1 hour and 42 minutes. Zephyrus had already proven its mettle with a third-place Handicap finish in the 2024 PIC Coastal Classic and continued to impress in today’s event.
Hikurere, a standout in the Pacific Class at the 2025 NZ Millennium Cup, finished just nine seconds behind Zephyrus, rounding out the top six in the overall line honours rankings.
Battle of the Magic 25s: Team Sex edges out Enigma
The competition for seventh and eighth place saw a family rivalry play out between husband and wife skippers. Team Sex, a Magic 25 helmed by Anne Hirst, crossed the line in 1 hour and 43 minutes, narrowly beating Enigma, helmed by her husband Chris Hirst, who finished 33 seconds later. The pair had made headlines earlier in the year at BOISW, where Anne’s crew claimed a decisive line honours victory in the Magic 25 division. Anne’s rising status in the sport has not gone unnoticed—whilst at the BOISW she was also nominated for Yachting New Zealand’s SheSails NZ Top Female Helm trophy.
Rounding out the top 10
Completing the top 10 overall line honours finishers was Sham Pain, a 2003 MG Whitbread skippered by John Kensington and representing RNZYS, NZMYC, and RYC. Sham Pain finished with a time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, backing up its strong performance at BOISW’s Island Racing Division B, where it secured second place in line honours.
The PIC Harbour Classic continues to grow
With a steadily increasing fleet and a new racecourse that rewards both tactical racing and pure speed, the PIC Harbour Classic is cementing itself as a must-race event in New Zealand. Organisers remain committed to their ambitious goal of seeing 500 boats on the start line within the next decade.
For now, however, Frank Racing remains the boat to beat—setting the bar for future contenders and proving once again that when conditions align, multihulls reign supreme.
