The final leg of the 2026 Doyle Sails Round North Island Two Handed Yacht Race is now in sight, with the fleet preparing to leave Napier and begin the long run back to Auckland.
The race committee has confirmed the start of Leg 4 will take place at 1pm tomorrow, Friday 12 March, sending crews onto the final 367 nautical mile stretch of the race.
This last leg begins just off the Port of Napier and tracks north along the east coast of the North Island. After clearing the port the fleet will head past Portland Island and Bull Rock, then settle into a long coastal run toward East Cape, the easternmost point of the North Island.
From there the course bends west as crews pass Cape Runaway and enter the Bay of Plenty, before pushing across open water toward the Hauraki Gulf. The final tactical decisions of the race will come as boats approach Auckland, navigating through Colville Channel and past Channel Island, before choosing between the Motuihe Channel or Rangitoto Channel for the final approach to the finish line off Westhaven Marina.
Provisional standings after the first three legs show the race remains highly competitive.
In the PHRF handicap standings, the Sun Fast 3300 Ragnar, sailed by Ben Elliott and Jack Glidden, currently leads overall. Kick (Elliott 1050) and Motorboat III (Thompson 1150) remain within realistic striking distance, needing to claw back just over one hour and nearly two hours respectively to move ahead on corrected time.
Further down the standings the gaps widen significantly, meaning crews chasing the podium will need either an exceptional final leg or misfortune among the leaders.
The line honours race tells a slightly different story. Explore Racing, the Elliott 50 skippered by William Goodfellow and Jimmy Turner, holds a commanding lead after three legs. The closest challenger, Motorboat III, currently trails by just under four hours. Behind them, Vixen Racing and the rest of the fleet would require a very large swing to threaten the lead.
Weather conditions for the start appear relatively moderate before strengthening further north along the coast. Forecasts suggest a north easterly breeze around 8 to 12 knots building through the afternoon, with manageable seas around 0.6 metres.
Later in the leg the breeze is expected to swing southerly and strengthen, potentially delivering a fast reach up the coast toward East Cape.
With the race entering its final stage, Leg 4 could still produce decisive moves. As crews prepare to leave Napier, the battle for both handicap honours and line honours remains very much alive.
