Oceanbridge Auckland 2026

No single‑use water bottles were sold or provided. Refill stations were set up both beachside and at Torbay Sailing Club to ensure convenient access to fresh water.

No straws were supplied or used during the event.

Food service focused on minimal waste: A simple BBQ offered sausages and bread, with bread served on compostable paper serviettes. Drinks from the bar were either in recyclable bottles or served in reusable glassware.

Reusable dry bags were used for volunteer lunches. Banana boxes from New World Long Bay were collected and recycled daily.

All sailors and volunteers received an Oceanbridge T‑shirt, with some shirts repurposed from the previous year to reduce unnecessary printing. Some medals were also repurposed from the previous year. A raffle also featured a dry bag, a YNZ shirt, and sponsor‑donated items.

Event signage—including banners, posters, and flags—was reused from prior Oceanbridge Auckland regattas. The Oceanbridge marquee was generously borrowed, eliminating the need to produce new infrastructure. During the Day 1 briefing, sailors and volunteers were reminded that Oceanbridge Auckland is a Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta, and were encouraged to maintain environmentally responsible behaviour throughout the event. Volunteers were also briefed on fuel efficiency, minimising motoring, and adhering to safe, low‑impact refuelling procedures.

The event proudly supported several local businesses, including: Torbay Bakery (bread) Torbay Butcher (sausages) Local coffee cart and strawberry/ice‑cream vendor A Melanoma Spot Check mobile clinic attended on Sunday, providing free skin checks for sailors and supporters. Local council teams provided timely waste‑bin servicing, preventing overflow during peak periods. Torbay Sailing Club members supported bar service, ensuring drinks were served in recyclable or reusable containers.

Reusable signage with QR codes helped sailors and volunteers easily join event WhatsApp groups, reducing printing and streamlining communication. Pre‑event communications highlighted the regatta’s status as a Clean Club–aligned event.

Torbay Bakery (bread) Torbay Butcher (sausages) Local coffee cart and strawberry/ice‑cream vendor

Alisa Torgersen - YNZ Education Lead Clara Geiling - Youth Coordinator Sam Mackay - High Performance Operations and Youth Programme Manager Hayley Gillespie - Regional Development & Sustainability Manager

Additional waste and recycling bins were hired to complement club facilities. All bins followed the same colour coding and signage as local household systems, making correct disposal intuitive for participants.

Food scraps from the kitchen and BBQ were taken home by members and placed in household food‑caddy collections. Minimal food waste was produced. Any leftover lunches (mandarins, rolls, muffins, muesli bars) were placed on the club bar for anyone needing extra.

Registrations were handled completely online, and WhatsApp was used to deliver updates and streamline communication. BuoyZone markers, GPS‑tracked buoys, and sailor trackers were used to eliminate paper‑based finish‑recording systems while also enabling live race‑tracking.

The regatta took strong steps to care for the land, water, and wildlife. Throughout the event, YNZ staff conducted end‑of‑day land sweeps, finding very little litter thanks to participants' positive behaviour. Some volunteers retrieved rubbish from the water while waiting for racing to begin.

All refuelling occurred at Torbay Sailing Club, adhering to established safety and environmental protocols.

To deepen sailors’ connection to the marine environment, a drop camera was deployed from Course C on Day 1. While only sand and plankton were visible at this site, future efforts will focus on courses nearer the marine reserve. At the boat ramp, marine‑reserve information signage was visible to sailors as they queued to launch.

Dietary needs were respected, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten‑free lunch options available for volunteers.

The regatta encouraged low‑emission choices and highlighted the climate challenges facing our oceans. Participants were encouraged to use alternative transportation, including sailing from nearby clubs when possible. Sailors who arrived by water still checked in on shore to ensure accurate safety monitoring. Several coach boats and volunteer vessels also travelled from neighbouring clubs instead of trailering in.

Yachting New Zealand’s relocation in 2025 has reduced the event’s carbon footprint, shortening travel to set up at Torbay Sailing Club and eliminating the need for trips to an off‑site RHIB storage facility. Volunteers were also briefed on fuel efficiency, minimising motoring, and adhering to safe, low‑impact refuelling procedures. RHIB's and event boats were moored at the bay over the 4 days reducing emissions of launching and retrieving boats.

Torbay Sailing Club is registered as a Clean Club, with accreditation currently in progress. Previous Clean Regatta Certifications: - Torbay Sailing Club hosted Gold Clean Regattas for the Sir Peter Blake Regatta (2020–2025). - YNZ’s Oceanbridge Sail Auckland has also achieved Gold Clean Regatta certification (2021 & 2024–2025). YNZ’s Education Lead attended the event to promote the RŪNĀ Schools Programme, engaging sailors and volunteers in conversations about the relationship between sailing and environmental guardianship. YNZ will continue building climate and ocean advocacy through its partnership with LiveOcean at SailGP Auckland, where both the RŪNĀ and Clean Club programmes will be highlighted.