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The 2025 New Zealand Millennium Cup | A Superyacht Regatta and Charter Adventure in the World’s Great Playground

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Auckland coastline from 1-4 February 2025, the New Zealand Millennium Cup is the South Pacific's premier superyacht regatta. Combine the thrill of the prestigious race with exploring New Zealand’s stunning coastline in luxury on an Edmiston superyacht charter.

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Published: 10 January, 2025
Written by: Poppy Milton-Tomkins

The longest-running regatta in the Southern Hemisphere, as well as being an edge-of-your-seat superyacht cup, the New Zealand Millennium Cup accentuates the island country’s raw natural beauty, highlighting New Zealand’s appeal as a luxury travel destination better than any tourism brochure could ever do.

A New Zealand yacht charter is a fantastic way to discover this land of epic proportions and dramatic contrasts. It’s a place where nature displays her capabilities in such unimaginable ways that it feels as though anything could happen and the excitement of the New Zealand Millennium Cup, coupled with the famously friendly Kiwi hospitality, offers a chance to experience it at its most spirited.

Whether you are looking for a luxury base from which to enjoy the racing atmosphere or wish to explore New Zealand’s sublime landscapes further, an Auckland superyacht charter is the best possible introduction to the ‘City of Sails’.

Why Choose Edmiston for Your Millennium Cup Experience

Edmiston is one of the world’s foremost superyacht brokerages, and with brokers positioned on pontoons across the globe, we are consummate experts in planning superyacht charters wherever you are.

PERSEUS^3, which is available for charter through Edmiston for much of the year, is a 59m sailing yacht built with racing in mind, yet comes with lots of facilities to ensure extremely comfortable cruising, including a 10-person Jacuzzi on the fore deck.

PERSEUS^3 won two of her three races in the 2024 regatta and despite fierce competition from three-time winning yacht, the 34m Royal Huisman SASSAFRAS, she was named overall winner of the 2024 New Zealand Millennium Cup.

Speaking to reporters after the sensational win, PERSEUS^3’s Owner spoke of his delight at lifting the cup and assured them that the yacht would be coming back every year.

Bruce Brakenhoff, Executive Director at Edmiston, who was also there to see PERSEUS^3’s stunning win, said of the regatta: “It is huge in spirit, enthusiasm, talent, beauty, camaraderie and most of all great fun.”

From tailored charters to regatta experiences, our brokers can help plan an unforgettable superyacht adventure. They can advise on the best yachts for spectators, including those with spacious decks for race viewing and luxurious interiors for entertaining.

And, if you are planning to participate in the regatta yourself, our brokers can also vet your professional crew and ensure all the elements you need are in place to ensure it’s plain sailing all the way.

Contact one of our Edmiston brokers to arrange your New Zealand Millennium Cup yacht charter.

What is the New Zealand Millennium Cup? Countdown to the 2025 Superyacht Regatta

The premier superyacht regatta in the South Pacific, the New Zealand Millennium Cup is one of the high points of the global superyacht racing calendar.

Organised by the New Zealand Marine Export Group in conjunction with the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron, it is a celebration of sportsmanship that sees the great and good gather in the Southern Hemisphere to see who will come out top in four categories, and who will be named the overall winner.

The New Zealand Millennium Cup has its origins in 2000 when it first ran as an adjunct to the 30th America’s Cup, the much coveted superyacht cup that the Emirates New Zealand team won in 2024.

Though the first Millennium Cup was held in Auckland, it’s also been raced in Palma, Mallorca and in New Zealand’s Bay of Islands – an area of more than 140 subtropical islands that lies off the northeast coast of New Zealand’s North Island.

In 2024, the event returned to Auckland – New Zealand’s largest city, and a place buzzing with superyacht activity near the major marinas of Oram and Silas.

During the 2025 New Zealand Millennium Cup, racing will again take place in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, an area of some 4,000 square kilometres that is home to dozens of emerald isles.

In between events, participants and spectators will be able to make the most of the North Island’s exciting city, and the event will shine a spotlight on Auckland as a major international yachting hub.

Event Highlights: Key Details for the 2025 Regatta

The 2025 New Zealand Millennium Cup will take place from 1 to 4 February 2025 and hopes to build on the success of the 2024 event, which saw the New Zealand Millennium Cup held in Auckland for the first time in a decade.

Auckland’s location between two natural harbours mean that it is very much a sailor’s playground – the city’s nickname comes from the statistic that there are supposedly more boats per person here than in anywhere else in the world.

The superyacht regatta is open to sailing yachts and monohull motor yachts over 18m across four classes, including the NZ Millennium Cup Class, the Corinthian Spirit Class, the MulFhull Class, and the Pacific Cup Class. Only competitors in the NZ Millennium Cup Class are eligible to lift the New Zealand Millennium Cup Trophy.

Yachts already confirmed for the 2025 event include SEA EAGLE, SASSAFRAS, SHARLOU, JANICE OF WYOMING, KAWIL, and LEGEND.

Announcing the release of the Notice of Race, organiser Stacey Cook said: “Racing the regatta in the heart of our harbour city is an experience we love to give to our guests.

“These are the waters which have hosted America’s Cup showdowns, Volvo Ocean Race starts and honed generations of New Zealand sailors, so we know they’re a challenging, and very picturesque, place to race.”

The Millennium Cup is an exciting event both on and off the water, with the regatta’s headquarters serving as something of a social hub, giving owners, crew and teams the chance to talk tactics and debrief before and after each race.

When racing is done each day, there are also lots of social events, including exclusive onshore experiences, many of which will fall within the city’s Moana Ocean Festival, which launched in 2024. There are, of course, also plenty of opportunities to sample the official regatta cocktail, created especially for the event each year by Mount Gay.

If you arrive a week before the 2025 event, you could join in the fun and frivolity of the Auckland Anniversary Regatta – one of the oldest sailing events in the world, which predates even the America’s Cup.

And as well as providing all the facilities one could expect and want of a major city, Auckland is not only a gateway to the event itself but all some of the most pristine cruising waters in the world.

Like Edmiston, the Millennium Cup is committed to sustainability of our seas and ensuring these waters are kept as clean as possible. To this end, the superyacht cup has been certified a ‘clean regatta’, meaning every possible step has been taken to ensure it has minimal impact in one of the world’s most spectacular natural playgrounds.

Chartering a Superyacht for the Millennium Cup

New Zealand is increasingly becoming an attractive yachting destination for those who wish to get off the beaten track and explore less chartered waters. With excellent marinas, a lively yachting community, and endless islands and cruising grounds within easy access, on a superyacht charter in Auckland you will discover a whole new world of possibilities.

In terms of the New Zealand regatta itself, a chartered superyacht will allow you to get closer to the action and give you an elevated view of the race, as well as access to VIP events both onshore and on the water.

The yacht you choose will depend on the size of your party and how active, or decidedly inactive, you intend to be. Sun decks and flybridges tend to be very useful to provide the best views, while beach clubs and water toys will be very appealing to those who wish to indulge in some island-hopping before or after the regatta.

And of course, when chartering a yacht, you could show your respect for New Zealand yachting heritage by opting for a vintage Fitzroy, or a more modern vessel from Alloy Yachts.

Make sure you pack well for your trip – as well as smart wear for glitzy events, you’ll want to bring outdoor gear including hiking boots and swimwear for wider exploration of the region.

A Taste of New Zealand: Beyond the Regatta

Auckland’s luxury marinas are of a very high calibre and can cater well for everything you might need on your New Zealand yacht charter.

With excellent shopping within easy reach, Auckland charter guests will be able to fill their shorebased days easily. Climbing the city’s Sky Tower is a must for panoramic views and to survey the places you intend to cruise to.

For local art, head to Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki to view original Maori and Pacific artworks, while the regenerated downtown area is home to some large public artworks that will capture your imagination.With a culturally-diverse community, Auckland’s restaurants are something else. Helly Beasty is a fusion Asian restaurant that offers an unusual spin on New Zealand-reared lamb on the waterfront, while Sidart restaurant in one of the city’s smartest neighbourhoods, offers relaxed Italian dining under the direction of Fijian chef/owner Lesley Chandra.

Once the racing is over, you can use your Auckland superyacht as a base from which to explore some of the natural beauty of this part of the world.

The Bay of Islands where the New Zealand Millennium cup was held prior to 2024, is a nature wonderland, home to myriad isles and communities, and with lots of opportunities to see penguins, whales, marlin and more.

Fiordland National Park, meanwhile, in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island is a huge otherworldly landscape of glacier-caved fjords, mountains that stab at the sky, and plundering waterfalls.

For New Zealand in its purest form, try the Coromandel Peninsula, an area of Paradise beaches, misty mountains, and verdant valleys.

And then, of course, there are New Zealand’s vineyards, such as those of Waiheke Island, where you can pair delicious tastings with cleansing views.

Set Sail for the 2025 Millennium Cup with Edmiston

With a world-class regatta, naturally beautiful setting, and all the attractions of a major city within minutes of the pontoon, an Auckland superyacht charter is a winner on several fronts.

As an island nation surrounded by water, with a population known to embrace the great outdoors, it’s little wonder that New Zealand has a thriving yachting culture and Auckland is a gateway to it all.

Here in a region rich in biodiversity with the kind of scenic backdrops that you won’t find anywhere else on earth, you can enjoy all the excitement of a regatta aboard a luxury yacht charter in New Zealand, while being invited into a prestigious world that surprisingly few outsiders seem aware of.

To plan a personalised yacht hire in Auckland, speak with your Edmiston broker today.