Event Details

Dates

Saturday 5 – Tuesday 8 September 2026

Venue

Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club, 90 Keith Allen Drive, Sulphur Point, Tauranga

Entry Fee

NZ$80.00 per sailor

RegistrATION TIMELINE

Entries Open

Friday 20 March 2026 at 9:00 AM

Entries Close

Wednesday 3 June 2026 at 7:59 PM

All registrations must be submitted online by each school’s designated Zespri AIMS Games Coordinator using their unique login code.

CONTACT

Email: info@nzaimsgames.co.nz

PLANNING INFORMATION

Entry Fees

• NZ$80.00 per sailor (non-refundable)

• Payment is due within 7 days of invoice receipt

• Invoices will be issued to school accounts managers after entries close

Eligibility

Students must be aged over 10 and under 13 years as of 31 December 2025. For the 2026 Games, eligible birth years are 2013, 2014, and 2015. Birthdates must be provided during registration.

Competition Divisions

• Year 7 Girls Optimist Racing

• Year 7 Boys Optimist Racing

• Year 8 Girls Optimist Racing

• Year 8 Boys Optimist Racing

There is no restriction on the number of sailors a school may register.

Competency Requirements

The event takes place in spring, when conditions may include cold, wet weather and strong winds. For safety reasons, all competitors must demonstrate a minimum level of sailing competency:

• Completion of a Learn to Race program

• At least one season sailing with a club as a Green Fleet competitor

• Participation in a regional regatta

Entries outside these criteria may be considered at the discretion of the Organising Authority.

Charter Boats

1. Two charter Optimists are available for the event.

2. Preference will be given to South Island and international participants.

3. Booking to be done online during registrations.

4. Costs for the charter is $100 (sails included) and a $250 bond applies.

Multi-Code Participation

Students may enter more than one sporting code, provided they meet permitted code crossover eligibility.

Please note: No timetable adjustments will be made to accommodate scheduling conflicts between sporting codes. It is the responsibility of each school and the parents/caregivers to ensure that students’ chosen events do not overlap.​​​​​​​

PROGRAMME

Sailors wishing to attend the Zespri AIMS Games Opening Ceremony are recommended to book tickets for Show 2 (7:00 PM).

RULES

General Rules

1. There is no limit to the number of entries from each school in each division.

2. Sailors may only be registered in one Yachting division.

3. Competitors must wear clothing associated with their school.

4. All marshals’ instructions and event briefings must be followed.

5. Team managers are responsible for their school’s parents and supporters.

6. The safety and enjoyment of all competitors must remain the highest priority.

Optimist Event Rules

• All competitors are responsible for the seaworthiness of their boats and compete at their own risk.

• Pre‑event boat safety checks must be completed.

• All competitors must be members of a club or entity affiliated with their National Sailing Authority (e.g., a club affiliated to Yachting New Zealand).

• Racing will be conducted under the World Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).
  Note: YNZ Optimist Green Fleet rules do not apply.

• All Optimists must comply with International Optimist Dinghy Association Class Rules.

• Pre‑event safety checks will be held the day before racing begins.

• Compliance is the competitor’s individual responsibility.

• Competitors must sign on and sign off when going afloat and returning ashore.

• On a Race Day, no competitor may leave the beach until authorised by the Race Committee (Code Flag D system).

• Additional rules, race management details, and course information are provided in the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions, which must be read alongside these rules.

• While team results will be calculated, all sailors compete as individuals in a Fleet Race format at all times.

• Failure to comply will be considered a breach of RRS Rule 2 – Fair Sailing and may result in disqualification.

AdditiONal InformATION

Notice of Race (NOR) & Sailing Instructions (SI)

The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions will be published on:

• The TYPBC Club website

• The Zespri AIMS Games website and app under Yachting

These documents will be available closer to the event.      

Support Vessels

• Each school team is strongly encouraged to bring a support vessel (ideally a 4.0–6.0m RIB).

• All support vessels must be registered with the event.

• Speed restrictions will apply within the course area.

• Interference with yachts while racing may result in disqualification of the associated team members.

• Skippers of support vessels must follow all requests from the Race Committee at all times.

Marina Access & Insurance

• Support vessels wishing to enter the Tauranga Marina must hold valid third‑party insurance with a minimum cover of $5,000,000 per incident (or equivalent).

• A certificate of insurance must be presented at registration.

• There may be limited ability to leave support vessels in the Tauranga Marina overnight.        

Health and Safety

• All participants, team managers, and schools compete at their own risk and absolve the Event Director, marshals, helpers, and volunteers from any blame or claim.

• Refer to World Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing – Rule 4: Decision to Race.

Safety Equipment & Personal Responsibility

• Buoyancy vests with a whistle must be worn at all times by all competitors and all personnel on support boats.

• Competitors and schools are responsible for ensuring boats are in safe working condition and compliant with all class measurement requirements.

Support Vessels

• All support vessels must be registered with the event organiser at registration.

• Boat identification must be displayed at all times.

• Speed restrictions apply in the vicinity of the course and the Marina area.

• Interfering with yachts while racing may result in disqualification of associated team members.

• Skippers of support vessels must follow all requests from the Race Committee at all times.

• Each school team is ideally required to bring a support vessel (preferably a 4.0–6.0m RIB).

Manager and Coach Briefing

Clear instruction regarding the extent of the organiser’s responsibilities will be provided at the Saturday afternoon Managers Meeting.

All skippers of support vessels are expected to attend.

Team Honours

• Schools with fewer than two competitors in a year group/gender division are ineligible for team honours.

• Where a school has more than two competitors in a category, the best‑placed two sailors in each race will count toward team honours.

• All competitors within a team remain eligible for individual line honours.

• For year group/gender division team honours, the placings of the top two competitors are added together.

• The lowest combined total wins.

  • Example:

    • Year 7 Girls: 6th + 13th = 19 points (1st place)

    • 5th + 22nd = 27 points (2nd place)

Judging

The organisers will appoint YNZ‑accredited Judges who will:

• Observe racing under the Whistle System.

• Adjudicate RRS Rule 42 – Propulsion infringements under RRS Appendix P.

• Hear protests and arbitrations.

Medal PresentATIONS

Individual awards for each division, along with medals for overall school team honours, will be presented at the venue at the completion of Day 3.