Offshore sailors now have a confirmed pathway back to a Round New Zealand race, with the Shorthanded Sailing Association of New Zealand (SSANZ) locking in a four-year calendar of qualifying events building towards 2030.
Rather than standing as a standalone announcement, the race now sits at the end of a structured lead-in. A new four-year partnership with Doyle Sails sits at the centre of it, backing some of the country's premier short-handed offshore events between now and then.
The sailmaker's role shifts as the years progress. Doyle Sails stays on as Longhaul Division sponsor of the Lewmar Triple Series through to 2028, takes naming rights of the Doyle Sails Northern Triangle that same year, then fronts the Doyle Sails Round North Island in 2029.
Then comes 2030, and the return of Round New Zealand.
Sailors get the chance to build sea miles and experience through the smaller events first, then step up through qualifiers before the flagship races arrive at the back end of the decade. SSANZ has framed it as less about any single regatta and more about strengthening the whole offshore racing community over time.
There is a collaborative thread running through it too. SSANZ is working alongside fellow Auckland clubs the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Royal Akarana Yacht Club to support competitors in the Doyle Sails Cavalli Islands Race in 2026 and the Three Kings Race in 2028. The aim is an aligned offshore calendar that benefits sailors across the country, rather than clubs working in isolation.
Harri Wren, Chair and Partnerships Lead of SSANZ, called it an exciting new chapter for the association. "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. Together, we're creating a clear pathway for New Zealand's offshore sailors, and we're incredibly excited about what this partnership means for the future of short-handed offshore racing."
Mike Sanderson, President of Doyle Sails, sees it in similar terms. "New Zealand has a proud offshore sailing heritage, and one of the best ways to ensure its future is to create a clear pathway for sailors to develop their skills and confidence over time," Sanderson said. "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."
He added that Doyle Sails wanted to back the volunteers who keep these events running. "Long-term partnerships like this allow everyone involved, organisers, competitors and supporters, to plan ahead, invest in the experience and continue growing participation in offshore racing. We're excited to be part of a vision that will strengthen New Zealand's offshore community and inspire the next generation of sailors to take on these incredible challenges."
The calendar itself reads like a slow climb. In 2026, the Lewmar Triple Series, with its Doyle Sails Longhaul Division, runs alongside the Doyle Sails Cavalli Islands Race. In 2027, a new RNZYS Coastal Race joins the SSANZ ANZAC Enduro, which doubles as a Northern Triangle qualifier, along with the ongoing Triple Series.
By 2028, the Doyle Sails Northern Triangle itself is underway, alongside the RNZYS Three Kings Race, the Triple Series and an ANZAC Enduro now qualifying sailors for the Round North Island.
Then 2029 delivers the Doyle Sails Round North Island. And in 2030, proposed to date, New Zealand gets its Round New Zealand race back, the climb complete.
