5 NZ-built superyachts debut in Millenium Cup regatta

New Zealand-built vessels making their international debut will be a major feature of the Millennium Cup Superyacht Regatta 2003 which starts on Monday.

Five vessels, four of them over 100 feet in length, will be under the spotlight as part of the 48-boat fleet competing in the four-day event on the Hauraki Gulf. The Millennium Cup is the curtain raiser to Team New Zealand's defense of the America's Cup which starts on Saturday, February 15. This is the second edition of the regatta, inaugurated three years ago on the eve of New Zealand's successful defense of the America's Cup.

The 135-foot motoryacht Sovereign Lady and the 135-foot sailing vessel Destination Fox Harb'r are the biggest of the newcomers to the society of superyachts. Also breaking the 100-foot barrier are the 126-foot motoryacht SQN and the 112-foot sailing yacht Ipanema. The baby in this company but a superyacht by any standard is the 86-foot Pacific Harmony. All five are the work of Auckland-based marine companies.

Sovereign Lady is the latest and largest in a series of vessels from Sovereign Yachts, a Canadian Company that has moved its operations to New Zealand. Designed by Ward Setzer, the fiberglass composite hull was built in Canada, with all finishing and outfitting finished in New Zealand. The five-stateroom superyacht was launched less than a week ago.

Destination Fox Harb'r, was designed by English naval architect Ed Dubois and built by New Zealand's Alloy Yachts for a Canadian owner. She was launched in October last year in time for viewing the Louis Vuitton Cup and America's Cup racing. The performance-oriented yacht has a carbon mast and boom furling system and competition-based systems on and above deck. The fully-fitted cruising interior finished in flame mahogany is the creation of Redman Whitely Design.

Named SQN as an abbreviation for Sine Qua Non (simply indispensable), the new 126-footer from Alloy Yachts International went into production in July 2001. SQN was designed by Dubois Naval Architects with an interior by Don Starkey Design. She is the largest motoryacht built by the Auckland company and was built for Gary Lane, the Chairman of Alloy. The vessel is another brand new arrival to the Viaduct Basin. She was launched just in the last week.

McMullen and Wing built Ipanema, a 112-foot high performance sloop drawn by Frers Design for Brazilian owner Antonio Dias Leite. Launched on January 21 this year, she is the first vessel in New Zealand to be built from lightweight Alustar aluminium. Ipanema has a contemporary interior featuring European Beech and a carbonfibre mast and boom incorporating captive winches for ease of sail handling. Prada tactician Torben Grael will sail her in the Millennium Cup, along with designer Frers and Rodney Keenan, Minister of Sport for Brazil.

Commissioned in January last year, Pacific Harmony is the first of the Pacific 85 series of designs from Titirangi designer Malcolm Tennant and Auckland-based Winteryachts. A high speed displacement catamaran, the curvaceously Eurostyled catamaran is described by its builder as "longer, faster and even more sumptuously appointed than Tennant's previous designs."

Millennium Cup competition begins on Monday, 10 February, with two days of racing on short courses on the Hauraki Gulf for the sailing vessels and a predicted log competition plus a golf tournament at Gulf Harbor for the motor yacht owners and their guests. On Wednesday, there will be a 30-nautical mile passage race to Kawau Island where the fleet will anchor for the night for an owner's banquet at historic Mansion house. On Thursday the fleet will race back to Auckland, with a prize-giving party that night. Racing for the America's Cup starts two days later on Saturday.

The full entry list for the New Zealand Millennium Cup Superyacht Regatta 2003, plus the entry form can be found on the event web site at www.millenniumcup.com

The Millennium Cup 2003 is proudly supported by Cartier, Jaguar New Zealand and United Airlines, platinum partners for this year's prestigious event. Investment New Zealand is the Strategic Partner and Tourism New Zealand is the Media Partner.