The decision to abandon the first day of racing for the 2026 Bay of Islands Sailing Week was made at midday today, as weather systems continued to build across the Bay of Islands and visibility deteriorated through the morning. While the final day of the regatta was cancelled two years ago, this marks the first time in the event’s history that opening day racing has been lost. Crews, organisers, and sponsors were understandably disappointed, but the response across Sailing Week was practical. Safety comes first.
We caught up with Cees Romeyn, one of the only sailors to have competed in every Sailing Week since the event began. He was unequivocal. This was not a day to go sailing. While his Whiting 29 Nexus would remain tied up as conditions worsened, Romeyn fully expected to be back on the water tomorrow or later in the week. He is no quitter, his long record proves that, but like many experienced sailors, he understands the reality. Your crew, in this instance himself, his daughter, and his granddaughter, must be comfortable, and today would not deliver that. And, as Romeyn admitted quietly, he is not getting any younger.
A short time later, Sailing Week founders Nina and Tony Kiff joined the growing crowd of landbound crews in the refreshment tent, and we pulled them aside for their thoughts on the day’s cancellation. In their view, the decision reflects how the regatta has evolved. Boats are faster now. Loads are higher. Margins are tighter. What has not changed is the responsibility to protect people and boats, even when that means delaying the start of the week. Bay Week has always balanced competition with judgement, and today served as a clear reminder of that core value.
Nina and Tony Kiff: The visionaries behind the Bay of Islands Sailing Week
That approach also sat comfortably with Vixen Racing skipper Sharon Ferris Choat. Keen to get racing but realistic about the conditions, the decision was familiar territory for her.
Ferris Choat is very much safety first. Her philosophy has been earned through years of offshore experience, most recently during Vixen Racing’s 2025 Sydney to Hobart campaign. Before withdrawing, Vixen was racing strongly and well placed in its division. The retirement came within the first 30 hours after a sudden, violent wave threw a crew member hard against carbon gear, resulting in multiple broken ribs. As an emergency department nurse, the injured sailor immediately recognised the seriousness of the situation.
After assessing the damage, Ferris Choat made the immediate call to turn the boat around and head back to Sydney. Crew safety comes first. It is a line she is clear about and one she would not hesitate to draw again. Offshore leadership, in her view, is about responsibility, not bravado.
That same thinking carries directly into how Vixen Racing approaches Bay of Islands Sailing Week. As Ferris Choat puts it simply, you can always come back and race tomorrow. You cannot undo an injury. Across the fleet, the sentiment was shared, particularly with heavy weather outside the bay and holiday boat traffic adding further complexity to the day.
Whilst one day of Sailing Week racing has been lost, the regatta atmosphere remained intact. As evening approached, attention shifted to the social side of Bay Week. A vinyl record specialist took requests from the crowd, selecting tracks straight from the shelves, before a DJ carried the night through at the Cruising Club.
Racing is scheduled to resume tomorrow, with the first warning signal set for 10:25am, conditions permitting. Day One may have belonged to the weather, but Bay of Islands Sailing Week, as it has done for more than two decades, has adapted and moved forward.
