Yachts arrive in Napier after completing Canterbury to Hawke's Bay leg

Wasabi off Napier, after completing the Akaroa, Canterbury to Napier leg of the Central Triangle yacht race. Photo / Paul Taylor

The Central Triangle yacht race sailed into Hawke's Bay over the weekend as the seven competing keelboats completed the marathon second leg from Akaroa, Canterbury to Napier.

The race started on March 5 in Wellington with eight yachts sailing the approximate 190 nautical mile distance to Akaroa for leg one.

A pair of fully-crewed (six people onboard) and six two-handed (two people onboard) yachts then left Akaroa last Sunday for leg two, with one boat withdrawing and returning directly to Wellington.

Wasabi were fastest over leg one and were also first into Napier on Thursday morning, followed by Satellite Spy and the first of the two-handed entries: Kokomea.

Napier Sailing Club rear commodore Mark Sheldrake piloted each yacht into the harbour.

The fully-crewed entries set off on leg three back to Wellington on Friday afternoon, with Satellite Spy first to arrive home on Saturday evening.

The two-handed boats left Napier on Saturday afternoon and were off Herbertville, Tararua on Sunday morning.

Guy Mannering, who grew up and learned to sail in Napier, was on the boat Distraction.