2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Julie Kidman, Race Manager, and Celia Carson, the Race Officer cheers-ing the very successful start of the Solo Tasman Yacht Challenge 2026. // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge: prize-giving at Southport

Fifteen boats started. Eleven finished. Four retired, and nearly every one of th...
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Malcolm and Joan Dickson at the helm of Sarau, the yacht entered by Malcolm into the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. // Photo: Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Malcolm Dickson: Solo Trans-Tasman’s oldest finisher bookends career with handicap win at 79

At 79, Malcolm Dickson bookends a Solo Trans-Tasman career with a second handica...
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Kevin Le Poidevin, 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge Roaring Forty // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Kevin Le Poidevin’s Solo Trans-Tasman: The $150 mistake and everything that followed

Doug Esterman in his Cavalier 39 Fair Winds crossed the finish line at Southport...
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Doug Esterman and his Salthouse Cavalier 39, Fair Seasons // Photo credit: Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Doug Esterman and Fair Seasons: Last to finish the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman — and first in heart

On the evening of 31 May, less than 48 hours into the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yac...
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Peter Nobbs sitting in Smoko's cockpit before the start of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

From customs officers to Southport, Peter Nobbs and Smoko finish the Solo Trans-Tasman Challenge

The customs officers were waiting for Peter Nobbs fifty miles outside New Zealan...
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Off Opua, the Insight Media team catch the action at the start line of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. // Photo credit: Insight Media
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Peter Bourke and Diablo: the little kauri boat has finished the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challen...

This morning at 07:00am NZST (10 June 2026), Peter Bourke crossed the finish lin...
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2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Challenge. RACE START - Saturday 30th May. // Photo credit: Suellen Hurling / Live Sail Die
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Terry Dunn sailed a borrowed boat 1,362 miles across the Tasman. His 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht ch...

After over nine days at sea, Terry Dunn crossed the finish line at Southport in ...
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Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: Catnip 90 minutes from the finish line

Six boats are home. Four have retired. Five are still sailing. And as I write, G...
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Ben Ball onboard Camellia, his 1976 Cavilier 36. // Photo credit: Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

The Tasman dream is real, Ben Ball and Camellia cross the finish line

Ben Ball has been waiting since he was 14 for this moment. On 08 June 2026 at 14...
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Doug Bourke with Diablo at the start of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: Camellia climbs the handicap table and Terry Dunn calls in from the Tasman

Five boats are home. Four have retired. Six are still racing across the Tasman, ...
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Doug Esterman onboard his Cavalier 39 Fair Seasons t the start of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Challenge. RACE START - Saturday 30th May. // Photo credit: Suellen Hurling / Live Sail Die
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Doug Esterman and Fair Seasons, still out there, still loving it

Doug Esterman called from somewhere in the Tasman, with Norfolk Island about 250...
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Off Opua, the Insight Media team catch the action at the start line of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. // Photo credit: Insight Media
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: Six still sailing — Camellia surfing five-metre waves toward the finish

Five boats are home. Four have retired. Six are still out on the Tasman. Cond...
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Off Opua, the Insight Media team catch the action at the start line of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. // Photo credit: Insight Media
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Sarau and Pacman cross the line — in the dark, 31 minutes apart

Malcolm Dickson's 55-foot Sarau crossed the finish line at Southport at 06:38 NZ...
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1 nautical mile separates Sarau and Pacman in the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // YTB (screen grab)
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: Electron nearly finished, one mile between Pacman and Sarau

Two boats have now finished the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. Guy Ches...
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James Foster before arriving in Southport during the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // Photo credit: Chris Woodhams / Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

James Foster is nearly home: Seven days, 10 hours and one hell of a Tasman

The voice on the WhatsApp call belonged to the same James Foster we had intervie...
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Sharon Ferris-Choat, Vixen Racing // Supplied
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Sharon Ferris-Choat: 1,400 miles alone — first woman to finish the Solo Trans-Tasman in 12 years

At 12:15pm NZST on Saturday 6 June 2026, Sharon Ferris-Choat crossed the finish ...
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Kevin Le Poidevin, 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge Roaring Forty // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Kevin Le Poidevin: The man who bought a racing legend on the internet

Kevin Le Poidevin is not your typical Trans-Tasman competitor. The Australian sa...
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Kevin Le Poidevin's Open 40 Roaring Forty at the start line of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: Chester finished, Roaring Forty retired, Vixen Racing is 40 miles out

Guy Chester docked at Southport on Friday evening at 19:34 NZST, crossing the fi...
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Guy Chester wins the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // Photo credit: Guy Chester with Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Guy Chester takes line honours in the Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge 2026

Guy Chester crossed the finish line at Gold Coast Seaway aboard the trimaran Oce...
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Guy Chester soon to cross the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge finish line in Southport, Queensland // Photo: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: Chester on the dock tonight as the fleet fights to the finish

At 20:00 NZST tonight, if the projection holds, Guy Chester will dock his Crowth...
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A view from the side of Malcolm Dickson's 55-foot Sarau from in the Tasman Sea during the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. // Photo credit: Malcolm Dickson
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: Ocean’s Tribute finishes tonight, Camellia’s handicap charge and...

Guy Chester checked in from his Crowther Design 93 trimaran Oceans Tribute just ...
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Glen Jeffery returns to Opua in Wave // Glen Jeffery (FB)
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: The solo handicap battle just got tighter

Guy Chester is 248 nautical miles from Southport and talking like a man who can ...
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James Foster and Electron before the start of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

James Foster: The man who built his own catamaran and raced it across the Tasman

James Foster is 49 years old. He is the youngest competitor in the 2026 Solo Tra...
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Vixen at night // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas (enhanced by AI)
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: 47 Knots in the night and Southport finally in sight

The 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge got a moment on national television l...
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Bill Kidman onboard Pretty Boy Floyd has arrived safely back in Opua // Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: Bill Kidman is home, Chester closes in, and Camellia bails out

Four days and ten hours in, and the fleet is heading into its fifth night on the...
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Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman fleet batten down as 37-knot blasts return and leaders stretch away

The conditions came back overnight, and came back hard. Sharon Ferris-Choat chec...
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Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Glen Jeffery and Wave retire from the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Glen Jeffery has made the decision to retire from the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yac...
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James Foster and his Mumby 48 catamaran, Electron. Off Opua, the Insight Media team catch the action at the start line of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. Photo credit: Insight Media
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman: Southport is closing in

It's dark over the Tasman Sea. Winter hours have brought earlier sunsets. Out th...
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Ben Ball onboard Camellia, his 1976 Cavilier 36. // Photo credit: Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: A Milo at midnight, a stunning sunrise, and Camellia on the prowl

This race has hit a milestone. Guy Chester on his Crowther trimaran Oceans Tribu...
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Graeme Francis's Yacht Robbery. // Photo credit: Suellen Hurling / Live Sail Die
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge competitor survives night in leaking boat battered by swells

A competitor in the trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge is back on dry land in New Zeal...
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Robbery being towed by Houhora Coastguard // Photo credit: Coastguard Houhora
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

When it mattered: The safety of Graeme Francis and Robbery

When Graeme Francis activated his EPIRB north of the Three Kings Islands in the ...
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Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Peter Elkington: the nostalgic purchase that became a Tasman racer

Peter Elkington had a Young 11 as a kid. His family sailed one for 15 years. Whe...
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Graeme Francis on Robbery // Photo: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

EPIRB activated: rescue operation underway for Graeme Francis on Robbery in the Solo Trans-Tasman

Graeme Francis, the New Plymouth sailor who has spent 40 years returning to the ...
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Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Graeme Francis: Three Solo Trans-Tasmanians and counting

Graeme Francis has a longer relationship with the Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challe...
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Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Off Opua, the Insight Media team catch the action at the start line of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman

Off Opua, the fabulous team from Insight Media team catch the action at the star...
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Malcolm Dickson - Sarau // Supplied
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman underway! Monohulls away at 12:06, Malcolm Dickson first over the line at 79

Thirteen monohulls crossed the start line at 12:06, one minute after the schedul...
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Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Solo Trans-Tasman 2026: fleet away on schedule, Guy Chester first over the line

The 16th Solo Trans-Tasman Challenge is underway. At noon Saturday, the multihul...
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Off Opua, the Insight Media team catch the action at the start line of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. Photo credit: Insight Media
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

LIVE: The 2026 Solo Trans Tasman Yacht Challenge (part 1)

  Solo Trans-Tasman Challenge 2026 Live Tracker Full coverage ...
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Guy Chester // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Guy Chester: the boat has her own ideas about this race

Boating New Zealand first crossed paths with Guy Chester during the 2025 PIC Coa...
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First week of weather patterns, east coast of Northland and up into the Tasman Sea // PredictWind
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

The Tasman in three acts: meteorologist gives the weather picture facing today’s Solo Trans-Ta...

At noon today, 17 solo sailors leave Opua for Southport on the Gold Coast of Aus...
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