SailGP has spent the last two to three weeks setting up the New Zealand event in Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour. Photo: RNZ/Niva Chittock
Described as being like "Formula One without safety barriers", ten high speed catamarans are in town for the New Zealand leg of SailGP this weekend.
Racing is set to begin Saturday afternoon on Christchurch's Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour and organisers were hoping to attract a record crowd of 22,000.
But not everyone was thrilled about the high-speed sailing event.
Canterbury's Harbourmaster and Maritime NZ were gearing up for a busy weekend on the water.
About 180 boats were set to be out over the two days of SailGP racing - more than half of them public spectators.
Harbourmaster Guy Harris was helping to wrangle them all and said there were some changes from last year.
Harbourmaster Guy Harris. Photo: RNZ/Niva Chittock
"Everyone was well behaved actually, we did get involved in a few things, but it was never because people were misbehaving," he said.
"It was just people getting into a bit of a situation they probably weren't aware of. One of the learnings we had from last time is we need to mark the Bring Your Own Boat section better."
There will also be improved measures to keep the harbour operating for everyone, Harris said.
"We've got more buoys in the access lane, so people who want to transit the event, because not everyone is involved with SailGP, some people still want to go fishing. So we've made that a bit clearer as well."
It was lucky Lyttelton had hosted the event already, otherwise it would not have been able to be pulled off in just four months, he said.
Christchurch stepped in to host the event last minute when Auckland pulled out of hosting duties in November.
But coastal advocate Genevieve Robinson did not think the race should be going ahead at all at this time of year.
Coastal advocate and regional councillor Genevieve Robinson. Photo: RNZ/Niva Chittock
It was still within the prime calving season for the endangered Hector's dolphin, found in and around the harbour, she said.
"They're very vulnerable at this stage, they are still in need of their mothers, they are often still suckling.
"The accumulated effects of human-based activity, such as fishing, on the population as well as this, it's just a little bit too much," Robinson said.
A total of 17 Hector's dolphins had died in the South Island since September, according to Department of Conservation data.
Of that number, 10 were as a result of being caught by a commercial fishing trawler.
Last year, two dolphins crossed the boundary into the SailGP race zone, but despite being told to stop racing, the event director allowed it to go ahead.
Robinson, who is also a regional councillor, said SailGP's 2024 revised Marine Mammal Management Plan (MMMP) was still not robust enough, and contained no explicit accountability if one of the catamarans collided with a dolphin at high speed.
"Investigations and concerns regarding the event last year were never really finalised," she said.
"So if there is a horrible event, which I really hope there isn't, then who is liable for that? And how do the public know that something will happen? Because it is public interest. There should be an intervention, liability and closure [if something happens]."
The plan states "Failure to immediately act on the instruction of the MMMP Facilitator to stop or delay racing could result in a breach of the marine mammal protection legislation, obstruction charges, and may result in legal action by the Department of Conservation".
SailGP said when it released the MMMP a week ago that an https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/511726/how-endangered-dolphins-could-shut-down-the-sailgp independent race starter had been appointed this year], and a 300 metre buffer zone put in around the whole course.
Like last year, it said there would also be a team of more than two dozen dolphin observers.
As for the public out on the water, Maritime New Zealand's Matt Wood said there was a simple rule to follow if wildlife was spotted nearby.
Maritime New Zealand's Matt Wood. Photo: RNZ/Niva Chittock
"Boaties need to stay at least 150m from a marine mammal, and if they are within 300m, there can't be more than three vessels in that space. So I would say just keep your distance and keep a safe speed," he said.
SailGP was "like Formula One racing without a safety barrier", but a lot of work had gone into making sure everyone was kept safe, Wood said.
"When you're out on the water, wear your life jackets, take two ways to call for help, check the weather to make sure it's suitable for your vessel, avoid alcohol and just know how to stay safe. Make sure you have the knowledge for the vessel and the undertaking that you're getting into."
Before making a splash, boaties should refer to the SailGP website and Canterbury Regional Council's website for the rules and safety advice, he said.
The first race is set to run at 3pm Saturday afternoon.
