One Ton Revisited 2015 - Press Release 27 November 2013

An interesting press release just issued on 27 November 2013:
 

The One Ton Cup

Chris Bouzaid and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron are seeking an indication of potential interest in a proposed 'One Ton Cup Revisited' regatta, in Auckland, New Zealand, in February/March 2015.

The regatta would celebrate the (near) 50th anniversary of the One Ton Cup switching from metre class yachts to offshore racers, using an international rule (RORC) to measure and rate contestants. This was when interest in the Cup went global and led to One Tonners being regarded as the Formula One class of ocean racing.

The current thinking is to cater for RORC and IOR One Tonners that were eligible for Cup competition between (and including) the years 1965 to 1983.
 

Wai Aniwa - winner 1972

The IRC Rating Rule would be used to equitably handicap the fleet which would be raced in two classes – RORC and IOR yachts 1965 to 1971 (inclusive), and IOR yachts 1971 to 1983 (inclusive).

Bouzaid, of course, twice won the One Ton Cup – in the S&S design Rainbow II, in 1969 (off Heligoland), and in the Carter-design Wai-Aniwa, in 1972 (off Sydney).

The RNZYS has had a long involvement in the modern era of the event, first challenging with Rainbow II in 1968. Since then, it has contested the Cup no less than 12 times, in seven different countries. In the process, it has won the Cup on five occasions and hosted the event twice.

The current proposal for the “Revisited” regatta would be to mirror the One Ton Cup of old - i.e. there would be three inshore races, a short ocean race and an ocean race-proper. In deference to contestants and boats, however, the inshore races would be of approximately 20 miles length, while the short ocean race would be a 40-miler (approx) and the ocean race a 100-miler (approx).  

Resolute Salmon - winner 1976

There would be a Prix d’ Elegance and other innovative awards, with an opening ceremony and prizegiving that would do full justice to New Zealand’s legendary record for celebrating major sailing occasions.

There would also be a New Zealand Millennium Cup super yacht and One Ton Cup Revisited weekend at the beautiful Hauraki Gulf island of Kawau, with its famous Mansion House which, in the mid-to-late 1800s, was the residence of the then Governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey.

This will be a high-profile sailing period in Auckland.

The Finn Gold Cup will be raced off Takapuna Beach in February, 2015, while the Volvo Ocean Race fleet is scheduled to arrive in Auckland (from China) on or about around 26 February, 2015, and leave for Itajai, in Brazil, on 15 March, 2015. The proposed 'One Ton Cup Revisited' would be an important and integral part of this major celebration of sail. 

The Red Lion - winner 1977

Could those interested in the above please communicate, by email, that interest, with brief details of the One Tonner that might/would be involved, to Alan Sefton at alansefton@xtra.co.nz

Pendragon - winner 1979