International match-racing is to return to Auckland early next year with a five-day regatta that organisers say has already whetted the appetite of top sailors.
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron will host the Auckland Cup, from January 25 to 29, which coincides with Auckland Anniversary weekend.
RNZYS commodore DavidCharlesworth said the regatta would be an international grade one event and the first on the 2006 international match-racing calendar.
He said most America's Cup syndicates would be represented in the 10 crews, who would compete for prizemoney of US$100,000 ($145,000).
"We expect to have the best in the world here."
Charlesworth said a number of skippers had responded positively to an initial approach, including American Ed Baird, Frenchman Bernard Pace and New Zealanders Dean Barker and Gavin Brady.
Nine of the 10 skippers were expected to be named by November 1. The 10th place would go to the winner of the New Zealand match-racing championships, which will be held later that month.
Racing for the Auckland Cup would take place off the squadron's clubrooms and the race village would be in Swiss America's Cup syndicate Alinghi's former base in the Viaduct Basin.
The RNZYS began holding annual match-racing regattas in the Waitemata Harbour in 1979, when the event was known as the Citizen International series.
The name was later changed to the Steinlager Line 7 Cup, which was last staged in 2002.
Among the winning skippers over that 24-year period were New Zealanders Russell Coutts and Chris Dickson, and Baird and Pace. Coutts holds the record for most victories with five. There has been no competition in the past three years because of a lack of sponsorship.
The Auckland Cup will use the same Farr MRX boats that featured in the Steinlager Line 7 Cup.
Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton backed the Auckland Cup concept, saying it would provide valuable experience for his syndicate's sailors.
"There is a direct correlation between success on the match-racing circuit and success in the America's Cup."
Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard said the regatta would be part of a maritime festival planned for Auckland Anniversary weekend.
