New Zealand’s most high-octane sailing event is now being recognised as one of the country’s best-run and most impactful.

The ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix was held in January at a purpose-built course on the Waitemata Harbour. It is a part of the global SailGP championship. The January event has been nominated in two prestigious categories at this year’s New Zealand Event Awards, hosted by the New Zealand Events Association (NZEA).

SailGP is a finalist for both ‘Major or Mega Event of the Year’, and ‘Sports Event of the Year’, in both cases recognising its world-class delivery, international profile, and extraordinary spectator and media impact.

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The Auckland leg of SailGP attracted thousands of spectators to the waterfront and delivered exceptional broadcast reach worldwide, with its stadium-style course on the Waitematā Harbour creating perfect conditions for both thrilling foiling and dramatic coverage.

It’s one of only four finalists in the Major or Mega Event category, standing alongside:

The SYNTHONY Festival (Duco Touring)
The VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship (Taupō District Council)
The World Choir Games 2024 (New Zealand Choral Federation)
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The Sports Event of the Year category includes:

The 2024 Zespri AIMS Games
Auckland FC’s debut match vs Brisbane Roar
WMH 2024 Masters Hockey World Cup
ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, Auckland 2025
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(L-R) Anna Barth, strategist of Germany SailGP Team, Giulia Fava, strategist of Red Bull Italy SailGP Team, Anna Weis, grinder and jib trimmer of USA SailGP Team, Hannah Mills, strategist of Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, Maud Jayet, strategist of Switzerland SailGP Team, Martine Grael, driver of Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, Manon Audinet, strategist of France SailGP Team, Liv Mackay, strategist of New Zealand SailGP Team, Anne-Marie Rindom, strategist of ROCKWOOL Denmark SailGP Team, Nicole van der Velden, strategist of Spain SailGP Team, Annie Haegar, strategist of Canada NorthStar SailGP Team and Natasha Bryant, strategist of Australia SailGP Team in front of the city skyline ahead of The Rolex SailGP 2025 Championship ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland, New Zealand. Thursday 16 January 2025. Photo credit: Ricardo Pinto for SailGP.

With 11 or the 12 nations in the 2025 legaue competing at Auckland (France’s boat was not ready in time for the Auckland event), racing was amazing in the Foiling F50’s that reach speeds over 90km/h, the Sail Grand Prix is not only visually spectacular, it also meets the stringent NZEA criteria for excellence in execution, stakeholder engagement, sustainability, and legacy impact.

SailGP’s local delivery was spearheaded by SailGP’s New Zealand vehicle F50 League NZ Ltd, with support from central and local government, iwi, the marine industry, and numerous New Zealand suppliers. Its commitment to sustainability and social impact has also been lauded, from clean energy operations to youth engagement through Inspire and Women’s Pathway programmes.

“This event showcases what New Zealand does best—delivering world-class experiences in our own unique way,” said NZEA Chair Alicia Mackay.

The winners of the 2025 New Zealand Event Awards will be announced at a gala in Hamilton on the 2nd September.

For SailGP, the nomination itself is a major milestone: a recognition not only of athletic excellence, but of the homegrown team that brought the world’s fastest sailing to Auckland’s doorstep—and nailed it.