The Prada Cup America’s Cup Challenger Series and additional regattas leading up to the America’s Cup have enticed more than 130 luxury yachts to New Zealand shores and even more, are registering for the events taking place in 2020 and 2021.
Millennium Cup 2019
Luxury yachts arriving in Auckland will be able to have the Prada Challenger Series and America’s Cup to attend over December 2020 to March 2021 while the New Zealand Millennium Cup in the nearby Bay of Islands while multiple Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron regattas will take place around the same time.
Auckland is already a hub for boating activity, with one in every three households in the city owning a vessel. The nearby Poor Knight’s Islands are classed as one of the world’s top dive sites and the region has excellent fishing, bird watching and water sports activities in addition to unusual and picturesque destinations on land. At the Monaco Yacht Show 2019, a plan was announced for berthing the hundreds of expected superyachts to the region during the event.
Auckland City as seen from a vineyard on Waiheke Island courtesy Tourism New Zealand – Miles Holden web
“We’re thrilled to be welcoming our superyacht guests to our part of the world and will be encouraging them to explore the many beautiful islands and bays, vineyards, restaurants and beaches of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour and outer Hauraki Gulf in our peak summer season,” said NZ Marine Executive Director Peter Busfield.
Earlier this year, Auckland Council decided to drop a proposed daily anchoring fee and now luxury yachts and foreign-flagged vessels over 40m/131ft are free to drop anchor for 24 hours while awaiting a berth. Currently, luxury yachts will be directed to the nearby anchorages including Harbour Bridge, Islington Bay on Rangitoto Island, bays around Motutapu Island, Rakino Island and Kawau Island, and the vineyard-covered Waiheke Island that produces full-bodied wines from the long and warm summer days.
“By tender from Waiheke, it’s a 12 nautical mile cruise to downtown Auckland, and we’re looking forward to sharing that aspect of New Zealand with our guests; you can be sitting in a vineyard overlooking a white sandy beach, and then in the heart of the America’s Cup race village within an hour.”
More information can be found on the Auckland Harbourmaster’s website as the event approaches.
