Amid a flurry of event cancellations due to the country’s return to a red traffic light setting at 11.59pm on Sunday, the Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta has announced the regatta will still be going ahead next week on Auckland Anniversary Day, Monday 31 January, 2022.

The regatta which first took place in 1840, making it one of the oldest events in New Zealand sporting history, has only been cancelled once before. That was back in 1900, when the war in South Africa put a stop to the event. This year marks the 182nd edition of the regatta, which even pre-dates the America's Cup by 11 years.

Organisers say the Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta differs from many of those that have announced cancellations in the last 24 hours, as there is no central location where participants gather. Instead, the regatta takes place at venues around Auckland, with several smaller fleets at multiple outdoor venues, or participants just getting out to race, without the need to congregate at any one location.

This means the regatta can still proceed in compliance with the Covid-19 Protection Framework guidelines. The exceptions being the Dragon Boat and Waka Ama fleets which have had to pull out of the regatta this year due to the number of participants, with as many as 400 paddlers expected to take part.

Tugboats, classic launches and yachts, along with several divisions of modern keelboats, will also race on the Waitemata starting at Westhaven from 10am.

Over 20 different centreboard and foiling classes will also take part in the regatta on Anniversary Day, at six venues around the city. There will be racing at Manly, Murray’s Bay, Narrow Neck Beach, Northcote, Tamaki and Takapuna which will also host several foiling fleets.

Even miniature radio controlled yachts will be getting in on the action, with racing taking place at Westhaven and St Mary’s Bay on Anniversary Day.

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