Three years on from it’s 20th edition, the Bay of Islands Sailing Week is still going strong: a slightly younger face but still with the same intent
In January 2023, Bay of Islands Sailing Week marked a significant milestone with its 20th edition. Three years on, the Bay of Islands Sailing Week is still going strong. Many faces have changed over the years, yet the appeal of the Bay of Islands Sailing Week endures.
First held in 2003, Bay of Islands Sailing Week has grown into one of the country’s most respected sailing regattas. Described by the late Peter Montgomery as “the best big boat regatta in New Zealand,” the 2023 event reflected the qualities that have underpinned its success for more than two decades: competitive racing, strong race management, and a social atmosphere that continues long after racing finishes each day.
The 2023 fleet included several boats and skippers who also appeared on the results sheet of the inaugural regatta. While some competitors have changed boats or missed the occasional edition, others have sailed every Sailing Week to date. A small number even returned aboard the same yachts they raced in 2003, highlighting the loyalty and long-term commitment the event inspires.
Among them was Opua Cruising Club member Cees Romeyn, owner of the Whiting 29 Nexus. Romeyn has sailed in every edition of Bay of Islands Sailing Week and remains one of the event’s enduring figures. His stories are legendary.
“I went the wrong way,” Romeyn recalled of his first regatta. “In one of the races everyone started and they were all coming towards me. I came from the other way.”
Two decades later, his results tell a different story. After finishing near the back of the fleet in the inaugural event, Romeyn placed fourth on PHRF in the E Division in 2021. In 2023, he was still actively competing, adapting divisions as required by crew availability. In 2025, at 83 years old, Romeyn finished 4th on PHRF in Island Racing Division D, underlining his continued commitment to the regatta.
He has entered again in 2026 this time in Island Racing Division 3.
Sailing in the same division is another long-standing competitor, Kay and Nev Campbell, with their trusty Atkinson 40, Quantum. I can just picture Romeyn and the Campbells having a great laugh about their racing escapades over a jug of beer whenever they bump into each other at the local pub.
While the event has long been shaped by its founders and early participants, the fleet continues to evolve. In recent years, younger crews have entered the regatta, bringing fresh energy and a sharper competitive edge. Founders Nina and Tony Kiff, no longer sailing the event themselves, were instrumental in laying the foundations for that transition. Today, that responsibility sits with the committee and the crews who return year after year. It is this mix of continuity and renewal that gives Sailing Week its distinctive atmosphere, where experience sits alongside ambition, and heritage blends naturally with the next generation of sailors.
The 20th edition in 2023 represented a continuity. Strong race management, a welcoming host region, and an event culture that values people as much as performance have kept Bay of Islands Sailing Week thriving.
Three years on, the milestone regatta stands as a statement of intent. Bay of Islands Sailing Week has not reached more than two decades by standing still. It has done so by evolving carefully, staying grounded, and giving sailors a reason to return, year after year.
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20 year veterans Bay of Islands Sailing Week still going strong
