Hoppers plan Clash at Cove regatta

Photo / APN

The Hopper family is not, it seems, short of ideas when it comes to promoting their various coastal developments. The team behind the Pauanui and Whitianga Waterways and, more recently, the Marsden Cove development at Ruakaka has created a steady stream of shows, festivals and races to draw both attention and crowds to their coastal locations.

In recent years, they have been responsible for the Northland Boat Show, the Northland Seafood Festival, various offshore powerboat races and poker runs and the recent Whitianga Festival of Speed.

Their latest promotion, the provocatively-named Clash at the Cove, to be held at their Marsden Cove development, was announced a fortnight ago at the start of the Auckland-to-Denarau yacht race.

As the race fleet left Auckland for Fiji, the mainsail of one of the favourites, Wired, sported a large Clash of the Cove logo on its mainsail. In addition, Wired's crew all wore shirts emblazoned with Clash of the Cove logos on their backs.

It was a typically Hopper high-profile way of launching an event that is still some 10 months away.

According to Hopper's marketing manager, Paul Shanahan, the idea of a "mixed-code regatta" was developed in collaboration with a number of top yachtsmen.

Shanahan says these yachties had, for some time, harboured a desire for a different style of fleet racing event.

"In essence, they were looking to create something much more exciting than traditional a yachting regatta. They wanted greater spectator entertainment and better post race festivities."

If the Clash of the Cove regatta goes ahead as planned, they will certainly get that.

"This will be quite a departure from typical regattas for a number of reasons," says Shanahan. "Yachts and offshore power boats will work side by side in a mixed-code regatta. Both will share facilities and socialise together in a huge marquee."

Shanahan says there may even be some mixed-code novelty races where offshore powerboat skippers become yacht crew and vice versa.

The three-day event is, at this stage, planned for March 18-20 next year.

Shanahan says the plan also calls for the Northland Boat Show to move from its traditional November date later this year to March next year so it can be part of the festivities.

A "major" wine and food festival, complete with live music, is also being planned to form part of the three-day regatta.

Shanahan says that, as with all Hopper events, "the entertainment component will be very high".

"The Clash at the Cove will have all the usual Hopper ingredients of action, fun, and a number of surprises," he says.

"All classes of sail craft and powerboats are being invited to participate."

FESTIVITIES
What: Clash at the Cove.

Where: Marsden Cove, Whangarei Harbour.

When: March 18-20, 2011.

Planned events: Yacht and offshore powerboat races; Northland Boat Show; Wine and food festival.