Ocean ski racers have eight dates locked in for the 2026/27 summer season, with the series kicking off in September and running through to May across venues spanning from Tutukaka to Auckland.
The Darcy Price NZ Ocean Ski Series carries the name of a paddler who shaped ocean ski racing in Aotearoa, and the calendar reflects the sport’s reach: Tutukaka, Wellington, Queenstown, Tasman, Tauranga, Whakatane, and Auckland all host events, with a virtual championships option for January. Competitors’ best three results count towards the overall series points, giving paddlers flexibility to chase titles across the country’s most scenic waters.
The season opens with the Tawhiti Rahi Coastal Challenge in Tutukaka on 19 September 2026, doubling as the national championships. That event and the Auckland King and Queen of the Harbour carry 400 points for winners. All other races offer 300 points, except the Paddler Virtual Champs which awards 250 points across January 2027.
Windy City Downwind comes to Wellington on 14 November, followed by Deep South Downwind in Queenstown on 5 December. The calendar then spreads through summer with the Queen and King of the Bay in Tasman on 30 January, the James Moore-morial “Bhutty Moore” Race in Tauranga on 6 February, Heads to Harbour in Whakatane on 6 March, and finishing with Auckland’s King and Queen of the Harbour on 8 May.
The series is designed to bring together paddlers of all ages and abilities to race on some of New Zealand’s best ocean paddling grounds, from northern harbours to the South Island’s alpine lakes and coastal waters.
