Reigning champion Silvertip wins 2012 NZ Millennium Cup

Reigning NZ Millennium Cup champion, Silvertip, has been declared the winner of the 2012 NZ Millennium Cup following the late abandonment of the Yachting Developments fourth race.

Silvertip is a high performance 33.8-metre sloop built by Yachting Developments in Auckland in 2001 and is also the first yacht to ever win both the International Superyacht Society’s Best Sailing Yacht and Showboats’ Best Sailing Yacht awards in her class.

Photo credit: Mike Rose

Silvertip won both of Friday’s races and was second in the first race.

The winner of the first race, on Thursday, the Chris Dickson skippered 48.5-metre Georgia, built by Alloy Yachts in Henderson, was second and the 44-metre Imagine, also built by Alloy Yachts, was third.

There were high hopes for close racing in Saturday’s Yachting Developments’ race, with only a few points separating both Silvertip and Georgia, and Georgia and Imagine.

However, although the race did get underway at 1pm, the organisers were forced to abandon it when the yachts were virtually becalmed, with Silvertip again in the lead, off Rakino Island a little over 3 hours later.

The NZ Millennium Cup is now an annual event organised by NZ Marine Export Group, the industry association responsible for promoting the NZ Marine industry to the world.

The regatta is designed to showcase New Zealand’s impressive superyacht build and refit industry and facilities. It includes a strong mix of sailing races and social events and is expected to quickly become the premier event for superyachts in the South Pacific.

The 2012 NZ Millennium Cup is generously sponsored by Platinum Sponsors: Yachting Developments; Gold Sponsors: Alloy Yachts, Integrated Marine Group and Touch of Spice; Silver Sponsors: Dubois Yachts, Events Clothing and Doyle Sails, Fitzroy Yachts and Smuggler Marine, Corporate Sponsors:  Yard 37, ATEED, Waterfront Auckland; Media Partners: The Superyacht Group and Ocean Media and supported by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.