This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Lindauer Coastal Classic race in New Zealand and plans are underway to make it a sparkling event.

The 2002 Lindauer Coastal Classic will start off Devonport Wharf at 10am

Friday 25 October and finish in Russell in the Bay of Islands.

With over 300 boats expected, the Lindauer Coastal Classic regatta is one of the largest races in the Southern Hemisphere.

A couple of new initiatives for 2002 include on-line entries via the Lindauer Coastal Classic website – www.coastalclassic.co.nz and the pre race venue locating to a mainstay of the viaduct for so many years – The

Loaded Hog.

In Russell a local committee is working closely with race organisers to ensure both groups achieve their objectives. Also the Northern Regional Council and Destinations Northland have given their support to the event

with an eye on tourism coming into the Bay area, especially with plenty of media attention following the race again.

The inaugural ‘Coastal Classic’ was inspired in 1982 by powerboat races over the same course during the 1920s. It was thought that there was as an opportunity for multis to have fun and race to Russell non-stop.

At Labour weekend October 1982, an assortment of 12 yachts lined up off Devonport Wharf to charge up the coast to Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands. 18 hours later the Trimaran ‘Krisis’ crossed the finish line.

There are two record purses up for grabs – 10,000NZ Dollars to the first monohull to break the record set by Primo in 1996 (9hr:22:34) and a further 10,000 NZ Dollars to the first multihull to break Split Enz’s record of 7hr:20:51 set in the same year.

For more details, and to enter on line, log on to www.coastalclassic.co.nz.