2007
KING OF THE HARBOUR
SURFSKI AND VAA WORLD CUP
General
Date: Saturday March 24th and Sunday March 25th 2007, Auckland, New Zealand
The 2007 King of the Harbour Surfski and Vaa (OC1) World Cup will be the first of the Surfski World Cup events for the year, and will also be the first single outrigger competition to be raced with a World Cup format.
The essentials of a World Cup format are to have teams of top international paddlers racing over two days in some of the most spectacular ocean settings on the planet. Other three Surfski World Cups can involve racing between beautiful islands in Tahiti, in huge southern swells along the South African coast in Durban, and being pushed along by the Fremantle Doctor in Perth.
Inaugural Surfski World Cup, Cape Town, South Africa, 2004
At least one of the days will involve conditions that typify the philosophy behind the Surfski World Cup: races of around two hours duration, with at least 80% expected to be downwind paddling if the appropriate winds prevail. After all, it is the ability to surf ocean swells that absolutely sets surfskis and outriggers apart from other canoe disciplines, along with the ability to hold races in some of the world’s most challenging ocean conditions.
The two day format of the 2007 King of the Harbour has been will for the second year be based at Takapuna Beach. This venue is logistically more sensible as we are able to run the event from the Takapuna Boating Club. The North Shore City Council has also expressed an interest in having major sporting like KOH held on the North Shore.
Day 1 will be a 21km three person relay based totally at Takapuna Beach. Each paddler will complete separate loops of a 7km course set off Takapuna Beach and dictated by the prevailing wind. The international team points from Day 1 will count for the total international team points for the World Cup. However, it is the individual paddle times from Day 1 that will carry over to Day 2.
If winds from the northerly quadrant prevail, Day 2 will be a 25km to downwind race in the Hauraki Gulf between Takapuna and Gulf Harbour, Whangapaoroa. This is the same open water used for America’s Cup yacht racing, and can have sea conditions ranging from calm up to 2 meter swells.
However, on the Hauraki Gulf, any wind direction can prevail of varying strength. If winds are light or from the east, west or southerly quadrants, the race will be held as a 27km circumnavigation of Rangitoto Island on the high tide (1220pm), with a Takapuna Beach start and finish.
Thus, the final course will be determined by the wind direction on race day, with the aim of maximising the downwind and minimising the headwind (see COURSE for details).
The individual times from Day 2 will combine with Day 1 times to find the individual World Cup placegetters, and will combine with the relay times to find the top international team. Prize giving will be held at the Takapuna Boating Club after the racing on Day 2.