OKI 24-Hour Sailing Race – March 2018

OKI 24-Hour Sailing Race – March 2018
The Toughest Dinghy Race of the Year

Auckland (February 16th, 2018):

The infamous OKI 24-hour is back again this year with great anticipation and at least a little apprehension as sailors get mentally prepared to battle the elements and sail for 24 hours throughout the night.

Dubbed as one of the world’s toughest dinghy races, the OKI 24-hour tests the mettle of local and International sailors as they compete non-stop for 24 hours at iconic Lake Pupuke on Auckland’s North Shore. Funds raised from the event go towards training children of all ages in the community who want to get into sailing.

Since the race first began back in 1967, it has attracted sailing legends young and old in this extreme test of endurance. Previous competitors have included a who’s who of NZ sailing. With the likes of Russell Coutts, Dean Barker, Ray Davies, Peter Blake as well as more recent heroes Andy Maloney, Blair Tuke, Tom and Jason Saunders, who have been selected for the 2020 Tokyo Yachting NZ Olympic Sailing Squad.

Sailors race in crews of two per boat, with each team member sailing for a maximum of three hours before being required to rest. The winning team is the one that completes the most number of laps within the 24-hour period and includes sailors from 12 years up to 70 years of age

The event is spilt into five categories: Open Class, Youth (under 18 years), Women’s and Masters’ (over 35), and Endurance athletes. A second event, the OKI 6-hour race runs just prior to the 24-hour event and is an optimist dinghy race for children aged 7-12 years

This year the Volvo Ocean Race is in town and organisers are hopeful that teams will join the legends race on Saturday from 6 -8pm in a bid to outwit and outmanoeuvre each other.

“Every year leading up to the OKI 24-hour there is a real buzz around the sailing community. Given the long history and physical challenge, it is definitely a highlight on the yachting calendar.” Jane Pilkington, Commodore, Murrays Bay Sailing Club.

Printer company, OKI, has been a sponsor of the 24-hour race for the past 20 years.

Alex Kawamura, OKI’s Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, said, “We are thrilled to support the race again this year and salute all the competitors for their speed, endurance, commitment to team participation and quest for victory. As in the business world, being agile, consistent and fast are prized traits that should take the sailors to new levels of success.”

Race Timings:
Racing runs from Sat March 3rd to Sunday March 4th
• 6-hr Race: Sat 7am – 1pm
• 24-hour Race: Sat 2pm – Sun 2pm
• Celebrity Match Race: Sat 6pm – 8pm

Free Public Access
Spectators and sailing fans can access the event for free over both days.
It is a great opportunity for families to picnic by the lake whilst watching some exciting sailing in one of the North Shore’s iconic parks.

Sponsor
The events are fundraisers for Murray’s Bay Sailing Club to develop youth sailing and OKI has been sponsoring the race for over 25 years, since 1989.

www.murraysbay.org / www.oki.co.nz

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