WineWorks Marlborough Wine Race – Celebrating Marlborough Wine
Live Race Tracker
View the race live, and track your wine as it races to Resolution Bay.
Double-click here to view the full-screen race tracker
Sailing instructions for the 2026 WineWorks Wine race is available by clicking the link below.
Amendment No. 1 to the Notice of Race : WineWorks Marlborough Wine Race, To be read in conjunction with the original Notice of Race published October 2025.
WineWorks Wine Race 2026 Notice of Race can be downloaded with the link below
Safety is a priority of the Organising Authority and Regatta Convenor, every competitor is strongly encouraged to read the safety plan for the event.
Below is a current list of the entries for the 2026 WineWorks Wine Race
Entries are open for the 2026 WineWorks Wine Race. (Entries Close 2000 hrs 28th January 2026)
Join us to showcase your wine at this iconic Marlborough event.
Join us to showcase your wine at this iconic Marlborough event. This year’s event will be delivering your wine from Picton/Waikawa to the outer Queen Charlotte Sounds, ending with prizegiving, wine tasting, music at the beautiful Resolution Bay. You can enter more than one label and can enter any variety you choose. 12 bottles of each varietal is all it takes to enter! Your wine will be tasted on board our VIP Sponsors luxury superyacht and also at the event in Resolution Bay.
You or one of your team are able to join and crew on a yacht. Please note there possibly may be space for more than one person but this depends on space on the yacht your wine is allocated to. $50.00 per person is required to cover the event ticket post racing, in addition to 12 bottles of each varietal.
If you would like to stay over at Resolution Bay Lodge and cabins, please email reso@xtra.co.nz or phone 03 5799411. If you require a Water Taxi either way, please phone Cougar Line 03 5737925.
We will be in touch once you have registered with further information, in the mean time, please do not hesitate to contact us on office@waikawaboatingclub.co.nz or phone 03 5736798. You can also contact Juliet Abbott on abbott.juliet@gmail.com 0272 448604 with questions you have in the meantime.
We thank you for your support in this event!
Boats – Yachts & Launches – WineWorks Marlborough Wine Race – Celebrating Marlborough wine
Boat Registration for Wine Works Wine Race 2026
Join us for this iconic Marlborough event. This year’s event will be delivering the wine to the outer Queen Charlotte Sounds, ending with prizegiving, dinner, wine tasting and music at Resolution Bay post racing/fishing. $50.00 per individual person entry fee – racing and cruising (anyone attending the event and coming ashore).
Yachts and Crew: Both Inshore and Offshore yacht racing. Enter your yacht with a full crew or if you don’t have a yacht, enter as a crew member and we will find you a boat.
Launch or other cruising boat: Join us on your launch, barge, fizz boat, cruising yacht, or dinghy. Any type of boat! Fishing competition will be included, who thinks they can catch the largest blue cod? Bring it ashore and have it cooked on the open grill to your liking. More details to come!
Background:
History, since 2001, this epic race historically sailed across the unpredictable Cook Strait has combined the excitement of offshore racing with the exhilaration of releasing a new vintage of Marlborough wines into our capital city from mainland. This unique race was loosely based on the traditional “Beaujolais Nouveau” where the first Beaujolais wines were transported from France to the UK.
This year, following on a revised successful format last year, yachts and launches will deliver wine to Resolution Bay, in the outer Queen Charlotte Sounds, Marlborough albeit with a slight change of trajectory seeing inshore, offshore and launches heading up the sounds. Our offshore fleet will head out into Cook Strait, with all fleets meeting in Resolution Bay for prize giving and a celebration of the vintage produced from grapes during the 51st year anniversary of making wine in Marlborough.
We invite you to join us in celebrating a fantastic event, with food, wine tasting and a live music on the lawn at Resolution Bay.
If you are a winery, you can also register here:
https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/362636
If you are a launch, yacht or crew member you can also register here.:
https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/362635
RESULTS:https://www.sailwave.com/results/wbc/WineWorks Wine Race 2026.htm
If accommodation is required at Resolution Bay Cabins, please contact them directly via email: reso@xtra.co.nz or phone: 03 5799411 to inquire.