For those of you with fast yachts who fancy your chances at getting your name on the Altex Yacht & Boat Paint Auckland to Tauranga Race Cup for the fastest time record, your target is 9h 35m 1s set by the Maxi Keeler Zana in 2004.
The Maxi Keeler Maximus nearly bettered the record a year later but for gear failure at Karewa Island with the finish line in sight.
Whitbread/Volvo/Ocean Racing yachts have competed in the past including Digby Taylor’s “Enterprise NZ”, Jim Delegate’s “Giocomo”, Bianca Cook’s “NZ Ocean Racing”, have all had a go along with some Admirals cup trialists without record success.
The TP 52’s like “V5” and “Wired” could easily break the record if they could sustain the incredible speed V5 managed when crossing the Hauraki Gulf in the Akarana 350 recently.
Multihulls have always featured in the Altex A2T race with the current Multihull record being held by “Sundreamer” of 9h 55m 23s, (only 20mins behind Zana’s record time), skippered by Phil Hart who was so relaxed when he arrived in Tauranga, he kindly entertained every one with his band’s very popular music.
Simon Hull with the big Red Orma 60, “Vodafone” attempted to take the record several times and while fully capable of doing so, never had sufficiently favourable winds to make it happen.
123nm in 9.35.01 = 13kts approx. average speed. Vodafone has exceeded 40 kts on many occasions.
In the last two A2T races, Dougal and Jaz Love in their very smart looking, ocean cruising Trimaran, “Romanza”, took Line and Hcp honours in 2021, (holding off a fast finishing NZ Ocean Racing), and line honours in 2022 but despite their meritorious efforts, were outside record pace.
The Coastal Classic record held until recently by Vodafone for the 119nm race, (a similar distance to the Altex A2T), is held by Karl Kwok on “Beau Geste” in 5h 00m 37s at an average speed of nearly 24kts.
The difference between 13kts and 24kts is significant for an average speed, meaning a really fast yacht, sailed to its potential and fresh W to NW winds should easily smash Zana’s Altex A2T record.
Greg Roake, well known Auckland NZMYC member (who grew up in Tauranga), advises that he helped deliver the big yellow catamaran “X Factor” to Tauranga from Auckland (for shipping overseas) in fresh Westerlies in a time of 7h 35m, an average speed of over 16.00kts, showing it is definitely possible to achieve. X Factor did win line honours in the 2006 A2T race but unfortunately not in record time.
Could this be your chance to rewrite the record books and have the bragging rights for years to come?
You can find race details including the Notice of Race (NOR) and entry forms on the Altex A2T Race website here.
The “Blue Water Championship” featuring the best average points from 3 of the 4 selected coastal races is underway. The goal of this Coastal race series is to recognise and acknowledge excellence in Keeler and Multihull Coastal racing and to create a pathway for young sailors to gain experience and progress into the big offshore races. Let’s all make it happen.
1. PIC Coastal Classic 2. Akarana 350 3. Altex A2T 4. Akarana Yates Cup
Brian Petersen and V5 look to have a strangle hold on the cup (that BP Sponsored) with 2 outstanding performances, including a win on line in the Coastal Classic and a win on line and PHRF Handicap in the Akarana 350. However, we all know that it is never over until it is over!
If you competed in the Coastal Classic, but not the Akarana 350, you will need to enter the Altex A2T to keep your chances of winning or performing well in the Blue Water Championship alive!
For further information on the Altex A2T race, please visit the race website www.a2t.nz or contact the race officials below.
Roger Rushton Reina Del la Varis Jo West
Altex A2T Coordinator Altex A2T Publicity TYPBC Manager
0274 714 715 07 578 5512
Auckland to Tauranga Race Committee
Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club
Ph: 07 578 5512
90 Keith Allen Drive, Sulphur Point, Tauranga 3110