Doyle Sails has signed on for a four-year partnership with the Shorthanded Sailing Association of New Zealand (SSANZ), backing a newly announced offshore racing pathway. Under the newly announced programme, the pathway runs through to a Round New Zealand race planned for 2030.
It follows another major long-term commitment announced in January, when Doyle Sails extended its SailGP relationship through to 2030. Doyle supplies the F50 fleet's jibs and supports development of its wider aerodynamic package, a technical role distinct from the naming-rights sponsorship it takes on with SSANZ.
A four-year commitment
Under the new deal, Doyle Sails stays on as Longhaul Division sponsor of the Lewmar Triple Series through 2028, before taking naming rights to the Doyle Sails Northern Triangle that same year. The brand returns as naming partner of the Doyle Sails Round North Island in 2029, with the cycle wrapping up alongside the Round New Zealand race in 2030.
SSANZ is working alongside the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Royal Akarana Yacht Club to line up the wider calendar. The Doyle Sails Cavalli Islands Race, now in its second running after debuting in November 2025, features again in the 2026 lineup, with the RNZYS Three Kings Race following in 2028.
Betting on the next generation
For SSANZ Chair and Partnerships Lead Harri Wren, the deal buys something sponsorship dollars do not always deliver: certainty. "Having long-term certainty allows the committee to plan with confidence, invest in the competitor experience and continue delivering high-quality racing year after year," Wren said. "Doyle Sails has played such an important role in New Zealand sailing history, so to have their support over the next four years is both a privilege and an honour."
Doyle Sails President Mike Sanderson framed the calendar as a ladder rather than a series of standalone races. "This four-year calendar does exactly that, giving competitors meaningful milestones to work towards, from shorter offshore races through to the ultimate challenge of a Round North Island race," Sanderson said.
Part of a bigger play
Stacked against the SailGP extension, the SSANZ deal shows Doyle maintaining a presence at two very different ends of competitive sailing, from elite foiling to New Zealand's offshore fleet. Doyle Sails is betting on a long relationship with the country's offshore fleet, from club-level shorthanded racing through to its longest offshore challenges.
For sailors weighing up a multi-year campaign, the calendar now gives a fixed set of milestones to build toward, with Doyle Sails' name attached at nearly every step along the way.
