The Milford Cruising Club, based on the Wairau Estuary on Auckland’s North Shore, has a long pedigree of championship sailing. Founded in 1923, the club has steadily grown from its first relocated house to today’s modern facility with slipway and estuary access.
The A-Class Catamaran Worlds regatta begins with the Pre-Worlds on 8–9 November, giving competitors a chance to test the waters ahead of the main championship. After a rest day on the 10th, the Worlds run from 11–16 November. Both fleets – Open (foilers) and Classic (floaters) – are scheduled for 12 races each, with two races per day and a 40-minute target time.
Races will be held on windward-leeward courses off Auckland’s North Shore, set to the north and west of Rangitoto Island. Each discipline will sail either on separate courses or at staggered times to ensure fair racing. Standard discard rules apply: one worst score can be dropped after five races, and two after nine.
The Open Worlds fleet already has 22 entries, including Kiwi sailors Dave Shaw (Naval Point), Daniel Philpott (NPCL), and Derek Scott (RNZYS). Australian veteran Darren Bundock, winner of the 2024 A-Cat Gran Master Foiler class, will also line up.
The Classic Worlds fleet is even larger, with 33 confirmed boats. New Zealanders Mike Drummond (WBC), Danielle Haylock (Milford Cruising), and Bruce Mathers (NYC) are among the names, alongside Australians Andrew Landenberger and Richard Nicholson.
The Pre-Worlds fleets are also strong, with 16 foilers and 30 classics expected on the start line.
Championship prizes will be awarded across both Open and Classic fleets:
- Top five overall in each fleet.
- Junior (under 25s), Woman, Master (45–50), Grand Master (51–55), and Great Grand Master (56+) titles.
The winners of each discipline will be crowned 2025 A-Class World Champions and will take home perpetual trophies.
The Pre-Worlds regatta carries similar division prizes, with awards for the top three overall.
The 2024 A-Class World Championships were held in Punta Ala, Italy, where Poland’s Jakub Surowiec (entered in 2025) claimed the Open foiling title. Other category winners included Germany’s Moritz Weis (Junior Classic) and Australia’s Darren Bundock (Grand Master Foiler, and entered in 2025). The Classic Great Grand Master title went to Spain’s Gustavo Doreste Blanco, who also took first overall.
These results underline the A-Class’s depth across ages and disciplines, from young foilers to seasoned classic sailors.
The A-Class Open fleet represents the cutting edge of small multihull sailing. Foilers use hydrofoils on daggerboards and rudders to lift clear of the water, minimising drag and reaching extreme speeds. By contrast, the Classic fleet remains closer to the original design ethos, racing without foils and relying on hull shape and sail trim.
Together, they showcase the evolution of one of the world’s most technically advanced singlehanded classes.
The 2025 A-Class Catamaran World Championships promise a spectacle of speed, precision, and design. With a strong New Zealand contingent, an international field, and Milford Cruising Club’s rich history, the stage is set for an unforgettable week of racing in the Hauraki Gulf.
