Built for Olympic racing and now racing as a vintage class, the Europe dinghy will decide its New Zealand champion in Nelson this weekend.
The 2026 New Zealand Europe Dinghy National Championship will be raced on January 10 and 11 as part of the Whakatu Regatta, hosted by Nelson Yacht Club. The title also serves as New Zealand’s qualifying event for the 2026 Europe World Championship.
The Europe was designed in Belgium in 1960 by Alois Roland. It began as a class-legal Moth before becoming a one-design class in its own right. From 1992 to 2008 it was the women’s Olympic single-handed dinghy. Since then it has remained active internationally and now forms part of the Vintage Yachting Games.
The fibreglass hull weighs 45 kilograms, rising to 60 kilograms fully rigged. The narrow bow and rounded hull reward balance rather than brute force. Carbon fibre masts are matched to sailor weight and stiffness preference, with dacron sails cut to suit. The class accommodates sailors between 50 and 85 kilograms and places a premium on technique.
Jo Aleh, the first woman to sail as part of a New Zealand America’s Cup team, began her Olympic sailing career in the Europe dinghy class.
Ten sailors are entered for the national championship. Nelson Yacht Club fields five boats, led by former South Island champion Tim Fraser-Harris, alongside Anna Davis, Patrick Harris, Oliver Fellows, and Sally Roff. Antje Muller represents Opua Cruising Club and arrives with a strong record across veteran and open Europe events. David Davies travels from Charteris Beach Yacht Club, while Derek Drebner and David Brown sail for Howick Sailing Club. Pleasant Point Yacht Club is represented by Tim Scott.
Seven races are scheduled across two days, with target race times of 30 minutes. Racing begins Saturday morning within the Whakatu Regatta programme.
