Reigning world 420 champions Carl Evans and Peter Burling will defend their title on Auckland waters early in the new year.
The 420 world championships will be sailed off Takapuna Boating Club from January 3-9.
Recently named New Zealand's Young Sailors of the Year, Evans and Burling wontheir world title when they sailed off Spain's Canary Islands last August.
The young pair, both aged 15, are up against tough competition in an open-age fleet to defend the title.
The New Zealand team were dominant in the open division at the 420 world championships, claiming not only the gold but the silver medal.
Evans and Burling clinched the championship with a huge 25-point margin, while fellow team members Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth took the silver.
New Zealand 420 Association president Bryan Davies is looking forward to hosting the event in New Zealand.
"Our sailors' success at Grand Canary this year has proved a great springboard into what is going to be a fiercely contested event," Davies said.
Around 250 sailors from New Zealand and around the globe are expected to converge on the North Shore for the event, which includes an open division and a women's division.
New Zealand will be represented by 29 crews who will be selected at two New Zealand trial events in December.
Fifteen New Zealand boats can take part in the open division, where pairs can be both male or mixed gender.
In the women's division, New Zealand will be represented by 14 boats.
The 420 is a two-handed sailing dinghy with a strong and highly competitive fleet that has emerged in New Zealand over recent years. There are 56,000 worldwide and the 420 is sailed at school, club, open, national and international levels.
