Latest news with #RoyalNewZealandYachtSquadron
1News
5 days ago
- Business
- 1News
From 90-minute commute to six: Hanmer Springs boss returns south
Sarah Wiblin is settling into her new life in Hanmer Springs. Wiblin took over as general manager of the Hurunui District Council-owned Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa in March. She came to Hanmer Springs from Auckland, where she was general manager of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, the holder of the America's Cup, for three years. "There are a lot of similarities and overlap between the roles, but it's also different. "It's about offering great experiences." Her commute to work has reduced from 1.5 hours a day to a six-minute round trip. ADVERTISEMENT Husband Ryan was working remotely for Westpac, travelling back to Auckland for one week a month. Born and bred Aucklander Ryan has invested in some merino clothing to adjust to the colder temperatures, Wiblin said. "'Covid has changed the way we work. I've met lots of people since I've been here, who are working two days a week in Christchurch and the rest of the week working remotely, and I've met someone who works remotely for an Australian company." Canterbury-born Wiblin went to primary school in Kaiapoi before her family moved to Picton. She has worked in Wellington, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney. While at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, she organised the programme in the build up to last year's America's Cup defence. "'We had a roadshow where we travelled 600km around the country, visiting schools and communities," Wiblin said. "We engaged with 32,000 people and it was just a special experience for our team to help the country engage." Growing up in Canterbury, Wiblin regularly visiting Hanmer Springs, but never imagined she would one day be managing the pools. ''It was an opportunity which came along and it has paid off.'' While Wiblin was focusing on the day-to-day running of the pools complex, marketing manager Shane Adcock was taking more a leadership role of Hurunui Tourism, a partnership between the council and tourism operators. The pools were a major tourist attraction, but also served the local community, she said. ''We have local community groups using the pools, like aqua joggers on a Monday and local schools come here and use it, which is really cool.'' Hanmer Springs has potential to grow including the possibility of a flyride, growth in mountain biking and a new ice skating project, she said. The pool has a resource consent to establish a flyride, a gravity-based ride on the western face of Conical Hill Reserve. ''The more reasons we can have for people to come and visit the better, Wiblin said. Now settled, Wiblin said more of their family and friends were visiting. ''Every weekend we seem to have half a dozen visitors. It's a great spot to be and it's a good excuse to visit.'' LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
RNZ News
12-08-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Big changes for future of America's Cup in new protocol
Team New Zealand feels a "responsibility" to grow the America's Cup. Photo: AFP / Manaure Quintero Equal stakes for each team, a cost cap, more regular racing, and more women and influencers on board a battery-powered AC75 are all part of the protocol for the 38th America's Cup which will be held in Naples in mid-2027. The defender of the America's Cup, The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, represented by Team New Zealand, and the Challenger of Record, The Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, represented by Athena Racing, have signed the protocol for the next America's Cup after what has been described as "a complex endeavour that has required a huge amount of collaboration and goodwill from all parties", according to RYS Ltd's Bertie Bicket. "We have worked closely over the past nine months to bring about this paradigm shift to the future structure of the America's Cup." Called the "boldest change in 174 years of the Cup" central to the new Protocol is a partnership agreement that establishes equal governance for all participating teams through the America's Cup Partnership (ACP). ACP will be responsible for organising and managing the event's on and off-water format and will oversee the development, protection and commercialisation of media and commercial rights. Athena Racing chief executive and team principal Sir Ben Ainslie said it was "a seismic moment" for the America's Cup. "The Partnership Agreement fundamentally reshapes the governance and organisation of the event. The teams and yacht clubs share a vision to make the America's Cup more inclusive, compelling, and financially sustainable. This new model marks a unified commitment to that vision." As part of the change, the America's Cup can establish more predictable scheduling, with the cup intended to become a bi-annual event. NYYC commodore Jay Cross said as the founding trustee of the America's Cup, "we are completely supportive of the move to modernise the oldest sporting trophy in the world". Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said as the three-time successive winner of the America's Cup, "we feel the responsibility to continue to drive the growth of the America's Cup event". "Although the America's Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport and the pinnacle of sailing, its Achilles' heel has always been its lack of continuity, so this transformation now gives all teams collective stewardship, and we are introducing a new executive management team to be headed up by a new independent CEO. "This is the boldest change in 174 years of the Cup, while respecting the Deed of Gift, along with the Challenger of Record we are confident this is the best initiative to grow what is already one of the greatest sporting events in the world." Entries open for the 38th America's Cup on 19 August. The future focused protocol also includes developments aimed at increasing inclusivity, national representation, and cost efficiency whilst ensuring the America's Cup stays at the pinnacle of design and development in sport. The 38th America's Cup will see a progression of the 37th America's Cup, with a priority to continuing to build pathways for Women and Youth, by maintaining the women's and Yyouth America's Cup events, but also now including at least one female crew member onboard the AC75. The crew of the AC75s will consist of five sailors, with increased function of the boat powered by battery. The nationality clause requires that two sailors plus the female sailor must be a national of the country of the competitor but will allow up to two non-nationals to sail onboard as well. Racing format revitalised to keep all teams racing for longer and maximising race time with the Louis Vuitton Cup group stage comprising of match racing as well as fleet racing to include all competitors. The results of which will determine the top 4 challengers that will race in a knockout match race Semi-Final (first to 5 wins) and Final (first to 7 wins) series to determine who the Challenger will be to race the defender Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup Match in the month of July 2027 in Naples. A series of up to three Preliminary Regattas are intended for 2026 and one in early 2027 to be raced in the AC40s with teams entitled to race two AC40 yachts each at each event, with one AC40 to be crewed by women and youth sailors. A final Preliminary Regatta will be raced in Naples in the AC75s immediately prior to the commencement of the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series. In a significant move of cost containment for all teams, a cost cap of €75m for the teams will be imposed for AC38 with refinements scheduled for AC39. Furthermore, the protocol stipulates that all existing teams will use the same AC75 hulls that were raced in the 37th America's Cup if available. New teams will only be permitted to acquire an existing AC75 or build a new hull to the design of an AC37 hull. All hulls must satisfy the specific Constructed in Country requirements as outlined in the protocol in accordance with the Deed of Gift. In a move to maximise commercial, media, and fan engagement, the teams will carry one guest racer onboard their AC75 during races. VIPs, sponsors, media, influencers and dignitaries will get to experience first-hand and report exactly what it is like to race onboard the most technological boats in the world, going head-tohead in the heat of battle. RNZYS commodore David Blakey said they had been "integral in the process with Team New Zealand, and the Challenger of Record, in carving this new path for the America's Cup". "Promoting pathways for young sailors and developing the sport in New Zealand is a top priority for RNZYS, which this protocol and partnership delivers on. We are immensely proud of our national team's performance on the world stage and Team New Zealand winning the America's Cup represents the very best of New Zealand's innovation, technology and culture." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Los Angeles Times
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Cole Tapper, crew repeat as champions of Governor's Cup regatta
The Governor's Cup international youth match racing championship has never had a three-time winner, but Australian skipper Cole Tapper did join a long list of two-time champions in defending his title on Sunday afternoon. Tapper is now the 14th skipper to win twice in the 58-year history of the regatta. Balboa Yacht Club's Argyle Campbell (1967-1968) and Andy Rose (1969-1970) were the original members of that club, each winning in back-to-back years like Tapper. Governor's Cup competitors may not have reached their 23rd birthday by the end of the event. At 22, Tapper will not have the opportunity to go for a third consecutive title. 'I think the team had to get pretty honest with ourselves at the start of this week that we probably weren't performing where we needed to be,' said Tapper, who flew to New York Sunday evening to compete in the Oakcliff International at Oyster Bay. 'We love coming here, and we put a lot into preparing, but we showed up and we were kind of off our game, to be honest. It took our coach, Jordan [Reece], to make us very accountable about what we were doing.' Neither championship came without its hiccups, or 'sea monsters,' as the commentating team of Tom Ehman and Rose like to call unforeseen events on the water. Tapper and his crew of Jack Frewin and Hamish Vass showed their mettle in a backdoor sweep of two-time champion Jeffrey Petersen (Balboa Yacht Club) in the 2024 final. The adversity in the most recent regatta came early, the defending champions struggling to find consistency during the double round robin. 'It's very nice because it gives you a lot of self belief,' Tapper said of returning with the same crew. 'You know that you can do it, so there was that. That, I think, got us through when we were not sailing so well at the start of this week. We were looking like we were going to come through fourth out of the round robins, and we managed to get into third. 'To have those troubles and then know, 'Hang on, we've done this before — we can do this,' it's really nice that we could lean on each other.' Alas, they finished strong with a pair of 3-1 series victories, against Josh Hyde, 21, of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in the semifinals and over Justin Callahan, 22, of the Miami-based Biscayne Bay Yacht Club in the finals. The victors were serenaded with an enthusiastic chant of 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie,' to which they replied, 'Oi, Oi, Oi,' as their boat was towed back into the harbor. A cannon was also fired. Callahan, who has aspirations of competing in the two-person dinghy events at the 2028 Olympics, had less experience in match racing, but he earned the right to choose his semifinal opponent as the top finisher in the double round robin with a record of 20-2. In the latter stages of the regatta, Callahan received a surprise when his twin brother, Mitchell, turned up. 'To see my brother there, that was quite the best surprise I could have ever asked for,' Callahan said. 'It put a smile on my face. Having him here the last few days really meant the world to me. I think this is one of the longest times I haven't seen him, so it was great having him here, supporting us. … Having a brother is truly special. We sailed this regatta together here two years ago, and we came in fourth.' Newport Harbor Yacht Club's Morgan Pinckney, 20, won the petit final, 2-0, over Hyde, placing third overall in the competition. Balboa Yacht Club's Siena Nichols, 16, the youngest skipper in the field, finished in seventh place. 58th annual Governor's Cup At Balboa Yacht Club Results Championship final: Cole Tapper (AUS) def. Justin Callahan (USA), 3-1. Petit final: Morgan Pinckney (USA) def. Josh Hyde (NZL), 2-0. Fifth place: Michael Kirkman (USA) def. Theo Westerlind (SWE), 2-0. Seventh place: Siena Nichols (USA) def. Dylan Sih (USA), 2-0. Ninth place: Daniel Kemp (AUS) def. Victor Melchoir (DEN), 2-0. 11th place: Ethan Fong (NZL) def. Adam Leddy (IRL), 2-0.
NZ Herald
19-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
America's Cup: France's K-Challenge confirm intention to return following Naples host announcement
The America's Cup regatta will be held in the European spring and summer in 2027, with the Italian port city of Naples winning the bid for hosting rights. Naples has previously hosted legs in the America's Cup World Series in 2012 and 2013, but it will be the first time an Italian city has hosted the main regatta. Athens, Greece, was also widely reported to have launched a competitive bid for the regatta. The confirmation and announcement of the venue came more than a month earlier than the June 20 deadline set when the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron accepted the challenge of Britain's Royal Yacht Squadron, which again instated the Brits as Challenger of Record. While entry dates and requirements won't be made clear until the regatta protocol is released – which is also expected to be prior to June 20 – a joint statement from Kandler and co-chief executive Bruno Dubois hailed the hosting decision. 'This proximity is a real asset for our French team, which aims to participate in this 38th edition in line with what we initiated in the 37th. Whether for our fans who will want to travel, for our partners and their guests, or for the TV broadcasts of the regattas, which will not suffer from the time difference, the choice of Naples represents an undeniable advantage,' the statement said. 'With this announcement, we will be able to concretely move forward in seeking funding with our partners, so that a French challenger can be present in the oldest international competition and can fight to bring this prestigious trophy back to our country.' Earlier in the 2024 campaign, Kandler told Newstalk ZB's Jason Pine the French would not have been able to return to the America's Cup stage for the first time since 2017 had it not been hosted in Europe. Discover more The event in Barcelona proved to be a competitive regatta, with five challengers to Emirates Team New Zealand's crown, which the Kiwis ultimately defended. The French are the third challenger to publicly indicate their intention to return for the next cycle, along with Italy's Luna Rossa – who now have the benefit of challenging for the Auld Mug on home waters – and the UK's Athena Racing. American Magic are yet to publicly confirm their commitment, though skipper Terry Hutchinson said in an interview with Scuttlebutt Sailing News in January they were committed to continuing but were waiting to see how the regatta shaped up. Swiss syndicate Alinghi Red Bull Racing have indicated they don't intend to return for the 38th edition, though with entries yet to open, there is still an opportunity should the Swiss have a change of heart.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
America's Cup 2027 to be held in Naples
The chief executive of the America's Cup defender Team New Zealand, Grant Dalton, announced Naples would host the 2027 event, alongside the Italian Government and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Long time America's Cup journalist Todd Niall spoke to Corin Dann. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
