The Evolution Sails Kawau Race Week will include a high-speed foiling catamaran in its fleet for the first time this summer, with Frank Racing confirmed as a late entry ahead of the inaugural regatta.
Event organisers confirmed the entry, noting that Frank Racing will be the first foiling multihull to compete at the event.
“We welcome our first high-speed foiling cat into the competition in the form of Frank Racing and wish the team a fantastic regatta,” organisers said.
High-speed foiling enters the fleet
Frank Racing is a foiling catamaran capable of sustained flight clear of the water, operating in the similar performance space as modern foiling race classes such as SailGP and the America’s Cup. Its entry marks a new development for Kawau Race Week and introduces a type of boat not previously seen at the event.
The boat arrives with an established offshore record. Frank Racing took multihull line honours in the PIC Harbour Classic in both 2024 and 2025.
That experience is expected to translate well to the waters around the island. Kawau Bay is relatively sheltered compared with the surrounding coast and is often flatter, conditions that favour high-performance foiling boats.
Owner and skipper Simon Hull said he was looking forward to racing at Kawau Race Week and expected the local conditions to suit the boat.
Hull said the bay offered space to sail fast while remaining protected enough to allow sustained foiling across a range of conditions.
A regatta designed for all levels
While Frank Racing brings a different style of performance to the fleet, Evolution Sails Kawau Race Week is structured to cater for a wide range of sailing.
The programme combines relaxed day sailing with more competitive fleet racing, allowing crews to take part at a level that suits their experience and intent. Some boats will be sailed conservatively, others more aggressively, but all operate within the same event framework.
Off the water, the social side remains a central part of the week. Evenings are based at the Kawau Island Yacht Club, where crews gather after racing to eat, talk through the day, and spend time together ashore.
Organisers describe Kawau Race Week as a friendly regatta, one where cruising yachts, club racers, and high-performance boats share the same waters without separating the fleet by ambition or budget.
Interest from performance multihulls
Organisers say the entry of a foiling catamaran has already prompted interest from other performance multihull owners, both for this year and future editions of the regatta.
With just over a week remaining before racing begins, the inclusion of Frank Racing is seen as an indication of the range of boats the event can accommodate as it develops.
An inaugural event
This year marks the first running of Evolution Sails Kawau Race Week.
Organisers say the focus for the inaugural edition is on delivering a well-run and inclusive regatta, with scope to build participation over time as the event finds its place on the New Zealand sailing calendar.
As final entries are confirmed, Frank Racing’s participation stands as an early indicator of the mix of sailing the organisers hope to encourage in future years.
The regatta is still welcoming more single- and multi-hull entries into the race.
