Five launches will raft together in a quiet bay off Queen Charlotte Sound this September, and for one night that raft becomes the venue for Waikawa Boating Club's Gela Skincare Women's Regatta, held 12 and 13 September 2026 in the Marlborough Sounds. The Friday night Taste of Marlborough has traded its old beach setting for something closer to a floating degustation, wandering from launch to launch for paua fritters and sauvignon blanc on one deck, venison backstrap and pinot noir on the next, all poured by Riverby Estate, the regatta's exclusive wine supplier out of the Matthews family's vineyard on Jacksons Road. Five boats, five different tastes of Marlborough, and only 50 spots to claim one.
The regatta has worn a few names since it started life sponsored by Evolution Sails, ran a beach-based Taste of Marlborough for years, then paused entirely in 2025 while the club rebuilt the format. Gela Skincare's backing for 2026 brings a genuine refresh rather than a rebrand in name only.
Saturday night's dinner, capped at 100 guests, is headlined by Jenny Armstrong, the Dunedin sailor who represented New Zealand at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before crossing the Tasman and winning 470 class gold for Australia at Sydney 2000. Fresh off the 2025 Sydney to Hobart, Armstrong will spend the weekend inside the Skills Growing Division rather than on a stage, coaching crews between races.
Two divisions structure the racing itself. The Racing Division runs sprint races, round the cans and harbour courses for crews who want the full contest. The Skills Growing Division rotates newer sailors through the boat under an experienced skipper, often the owner, and is just as open to women who'd rather teach than compete. Waikawa Boating Club says there's something for everyone regardless of experience level, and that's not just marketing language given the club's own yachts are on offer for anyone who turns up without a boat. No boat, no crew and no keelboat experience are barriers here, with friendly crews on hand to match beginners.
It's a small thing, but the shift from beach picnic to raft-up says something about where the event's ambitions sit now, less a supporting social fixture bolted onto the racing, and more a drawcard in its own right. Sunday breakfast wraps the weekend with a rules tuition session run by an experienced National Judge, before crews head back out for a final morning on Queen Charlotte Sound.
Find out more about the Gela Skincare Women’s Regatta 2026 from Waikawa Boating Club.
