AUCKLAND REGATTA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 15

AUCKLAND REGATTA

WORLD COMPARISON RECORD OF ENTRIES LARGE PLEASURE FLEET Justly proud of their annual regatta as an aquatic spectacle rivalling any held in the Southern Hemisphere, Ajucklanders are mostly unaware that the event is one of the most important in the world, from the point of view of entries. Such names as Cowes, Marblehead and Long Island are usually associated with famous regattas. Yet, a comparison of actual figures reveals that the entries for the last regatta on the Waitemata are seecond to none. At the last Auckland regatta 350 individual craft took part. The Long Island regatta of 1935 has been claimed to constitute a record for a one-day programme) the contestants numbering 270.

The regatta at Kiel last year extended over a week and the events attracted 450 entries, but actually there were few more than 100 different craft competing. The Mecca of yachting in Great Britain, Cowes holds a spectacular regatta, but here again the races extend over a week, only three or four events being decided each day. The regatta at Marblehead, United States, held last year had 378 entrants but, as at Cowes, the racing extended over several days. One of the features of the regatta on the Waitemata is the numerous small craft which race throughout the day. "Fourteen footers" are the most popular. There were 61 of these competing last Anniversary Day. Keelers numbered 43, while various powered craft made a total of 45. Mullet boats, a class for which the Auckland Harbour is considered almost unique, totalled 36. There were 247 sailing craft alone. Consulting various registers available, it was found that at a mean estimate Auckland's pleasure fleet, both yachts and launches, must number 1500.