Auckland Match Racing Cup

Auckland Match Racing Cup

The City of Sails is back on the world sailing scene with the Auckland Match Racing Cup – a prestigious International Sailing Federation-sanctioned grade one sailing battle which will take place on the Waitemata Harbour this summer.

From January 25 to 29, 2006, New Zealand will once again see the world's most talented sailors and skippers in town - including top international sailor Ed Baird of Team Alinghi and New Zealand's Dean Barker - to race in the biggest yacht race New Zealand has seen since the America's Cup.

Hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, the Auckland Match Racing Cup is the first event on the 2006 international match racing calendar. The event will take place between the Viaduct Harbour and the Harbour Bridge, near the former America's Cup bases.

The race centre will be situated in the former Alinghi base in the Viaduct basin. The event has a lucrative $US100,000 prize pool and looks to be an annual event for the next five years. This man-on-man format raced in identical yachts creates the ultimate sporting challenge.

http://www.aucklandmatchracingcup.co.nz/