It is with regret that the NZIODA committee has made the difficult decision NOT to send a team to the International Friendship Regatta Japan to be held in August 2021.
This is due to the on-going situation that the world faces with the COVID 19 Pandemic. New Zealanders are currently being told not to travel overseas at this time. This advice from the government, as well as not being able to re-enter our country easily, an inability to get insurance for travel, and not being able to employ coaches to travel with teams, has made this decision necessary.
We are aware that this will be very disappointing news for many of our young sailors.
What is the Japanese International Friendship Regatta?
The Japanese Friendship Regatta programme is now in its 19th year and forms a unique offering to our NZIODA members. Each year two NZIODA Optimist open fleet sailors who are not in a travelling or development team are eligible by invitation only to participate in the International Friendship Regatta in Japan.
The Japan Friendship Team is convened by invitation between members of the New Zealand sailing community and the Japan Junior Yacht Club Union.
The sailors travel without parents, are provided boats and billeted for some part of their stay.
This is an international regatta with several other junior classes competing and the emphasis is on cultural exchange. Our Japanese hosts have shown a long and outstanding tradition of hospitality to our sailors through this connection and the racing and supporting events are highly organised.
The sailors are rewarded with a truly amazing cultural experience, gift exchanges, and sight-seeing. Sailors are required to make a trip presentation to the NZ convening panel upon their return.
To start preparing for 2022 please look at our dedicated web page.
NZIODA Committee
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