Ōtautahi, Christchurch, here we come!: ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix
Following a truncated weekend of racing in Sydney, New Zealand’s SailGP team is heading into its long-awaited home debut, second on the Season 3 Leaderboard, with France hot on its tail.
With the top four teams neck and neck, it will be all to play for as the fleet push their limits on Whakaraupō, Lyttelton Harbour before the Season 3 grand finale in San Francisco.
GETTING AROUND DURING THE ITM NEW ZEALAND SAIL GRAND PRIX
All ticketing options include a return fare to the Race Village via official event shuttles. Ticket-holders will be transported from the city centre live site, located at The Green between Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre and Cathedral Square directly to the Race Village at Naval Point. After racing has finished, ticket-holders will be transported back to the city centre live site.
Organisers have developed a traffic management plan to facilitate movement for residents and event attendees, and to prevent issues of traffic and congestion on the transport network. Road closures will be in place from midday to 6pm on both days of the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix. There will be restricted access to Lyttelton for motor vehicles during this time, with entry to Lyttelton blocked from Sumner and Governors Bay. Between the 12pm and 6pm closures, only emergency vehicles, official event vehicles (buses and branded shuttles), taxis and vehicles with a clearly-displayed pass will be able to access Lyttelton.
HOSPITALITY: NEXT TO NONE
Once within Lyttelton, ticket-holders will be fully immersed in the atmosphere of SailGP, from witnessing heart-pumping action to experiencing world class hospitality. SailGP has teamed up with Venues Ōtautahi (VO) to deliver a premium experience for guests in all areas including the Fan Village, Platinum Lawn, Shoreline Villas and the Adrenaline Lounge – SailGP’s top tier hospitality offer.
Karl Budge, head of the New Zealand event said, “We have been hugely impressed with VO’s food philosophy of honouring and celebrating local ingredients of the Canterbury region, and their alignment with our ethos and food sustainability charter.”
Guests will experience inspired menus prepared by some of New Zealand’s best chefs in collaboration with VO’s award-winning executive chef, Dan Shanks.
That includes Matt Lambert of The Lodge Bar Group, who will design the menu for hundreds of guests in 14 sold-out Shoreline Villas along the water’s edge. An internationally-acclaimed chef in New Zealand and the United States, Matt Lambert held a Michelin Star from 2013-2019 for his New York restaurant, the Musket Room. Giulio Sturla, New Zealand Chef of the Year 2020, will provide the culinary concept and direction in the Adrenaline Lounge. Sturla owns iconic Lyttelton venue, ‘Mapu,’ which provides tailored dining experiences for just six guests per night, with all ingredients sourced from the Banks Peninsula.
HOW TO WITNESS ALL THE ACTION
If you missed out on tickets, and want to get in on the action, ChristchurchNZ and Enable have it covered with The ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix Live Site, powered by ENABLE, a family-friendly space with a range of activities located at The Green between Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre and Cathedral Square.
There will be more ways to watch with SailGP announcing an extended partnership with Sky and Warner Bros. Discovery which will see the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix broadcast live on Sky Sport NZ and
free-to-air on Three and ThreeNow.
It will be a busy and exciting weekend, and all road users and ticket-holders are encouraged to plan their journeys and arrive early when taking the event shuttle service from the city centre to Naval Point. It has been a long road for SailGP to get its New Zealand debut and it sure is shaping up to be the event of the Kiwi summer.
SEEING IS BELIEVING
Thousands of fans are set to make the journey to Ōtautahi, Christchurch to experience the inaugural event, with Naval Point being transformed into what will soon be known as the SailGP Race Village – where you’ll find a wide selection of food & beverages, live music, commentary, sponsor activations and much more.
Racing is set to take place from 3pm – 4.30pm on both days, Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 March with gates opening from midday. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy live activations and the vibrant, festive atmosphere on-site.
