For 186 years, the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta has defined the City of Sails’ relationship with its harbour. It’s a shared ritual that celebrates the city’s maritime soul. As the regatta returns on Monday 26 January 2026, organisers are introducing new ideas to keep the tradition alive and relevant for a new generation.
That sense of continuity and community drives every change planned for the 2026 edition, from the new course layout to a full-fleet parade designed to draw Aucklanders back to the water’s edge. The event remains volunteer-run and proudly non-commercial, though a new naming sponsor is being sought to help secure its long-term future.
The biggest visual change comes with the return of a grand Sail Past, a midday parade from Westhaven to North Head featuring yachts, launches, tugboats, and waka. It’s a living showcase of sail and steam, echoing the city’s earliest harbour pageants. From classic cutters to foiling cats, the spectacle will make Auckland’s maritime diversity impossible to ignore.
This year’s keelboat races will start at Resolution Buoy off Ōrākei and finish in front of Westhaven, bringing the fleet home in full view of the city. It’s a “City of Sails” finish that invites spectators to experience the action from bridges, marinas, and waterfront cafés.
When the day’s racing ends, the fleet will converge at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron for the first official post-regatta gathering — complete with live music from the Royal New Zealand Navy Band. It’s designed as a social finish, open to sailors, families, and supporters.
Last year’s regatta marked Auckland’s 185th birthday with classic conditions and strong turnouts across the fleets. The keelboats set the pace: Ariki (Andrew Barnes) claimed honours among the Classic A fleet, while Taaroa (Wayne Gilfoyle) led the Modern division ahead of Princess (Jon Nash). Offshore, Pocket Change (Nicholas Corry) topped the Mahurangi Passage Race, while Moody Blues (Stephen Mouldey) took victory in the Rakino Passage event.
Among the harbour’s heritage fleets, My Girl (Jason Prew) led the Classic Launch Race, and Paikea (Carl Longhurst) won on corrected time. In the Tugboat Race, Mayflower (Stephen Larsen) crossed first, with Matakana (Ross Smedley) topping the PHS standings, a fitting nod to the working vessels that once powered the harbour’s commerce.
While the classics draw the cameras, the future of the regatta lies with its club fleets. Last year saw vibrant participation from Kohimarama, Manly, Murrays Bay, and Takapuna sailing clubs. Youth and emerging classes filled the bays with colour: Optimists, Starlings, ILCA dinghies, RS Fevas, Waszps, Moths, and wingfoilers all took to the water, many as part of their regional championships.
These club-based classes, racing under their own host clubs, keep the regatta’s grassroots spirit alive. They represent the evolution of the event — where a child in an Optimist shares the same regatta programme as a helmsman aboard a 100-year-old keelboat.
The regatta’s inclusiveness remains its strength. Waka Ama, Dragon Boats, and Sea Scouts share the water with superyachts and steam launches, proving that heritage and innovation can coexist. Each vessel, whether powered by paddle, propeller, or foil, reflects a different chapter in Auckland’s maritime story.
For organisers, the goal isn’t to chase numbers — it’s to celebrate participation. Every boat that crosses the line, from the stately Rawhiti to the humble Sunburst, carries forward 186 years of tradition.
Celebrating the speed of living history at the 2025 Auckland Anniversary Regatta
The Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta 2026 promises more than competition. It’s a celebration of belonging: to a harbour, a city, and a history still unfolding. With sails, steam, and song set to fill the Waitematā once again, Auckland’s great day on the water endures, renewed and reimagined.
Entries and full details are available at regatta.org.nz
