RNZYS and Mastercard set sail on three-year partnership

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Home of the America’s Cup, today announced a three-year partnership with Mastercard, one of the world’s most active sponsors of major sporting events.

Through its partnership with RNZYS, Mastercard will support a number of events and programmes that will grow and train young sailors, as well as raise the visibility and appeal of sailing to a broader audience.

Mastercard, as a major partner of the RNZYS, will be named as the sponsor of the Mastercard RNZYS Youth Training Programme, a programme that is world renowned for producing champion sailors and is often described as the best youth training programme in the world. It will also be named as the partner for the club’s Mastercard National Youth Training Weeks and launch a scholarship for young sailing teams to improve access to training.

Mastercard will also sponsor the prestigious 2021 Mastercard J-Class Regatta & 2021 Mastercard Superyacht Regatta that will take place during the 150th anniversary celebration of the RNZYS and held in-between the Prada and America’s Cup regattas.

“We are very pleased to have such a globally recognised organisation such as Mastercard come on board with us in such a large capacity,” said RNZYS CEO, Hayden Porter. 

“We are blown away with the support they are willing to show, in particular to our Youth Training Programme and National Youth Training Weeks – along with the events of 2021. I am very much looking forward to having them on board with us here and am confident it will be a hugely beneficial partnership for Mastercard as well as the RNZYS and our Members.”

The Mastercard RNZYS Youth Training Programme has produced a long list of high achieving sailors who have had major success on the world stage at events such as the Ocean Race, America’s Cup and the World Match Racing Tour. 

“RNZYS is an organisation that has long been at the forefront of excellence in sailing in New Zealand. Mastercard is delighted to partner with them during what promises to be an outstanding few years of sailing in Auckland,” says Ruth Riviere, Country Manager, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, Mastercard.

“Mastercard is excited to play a role in the many historic moments that these elite sailing events will offer the local and global sailing communities, and encourage New Zealanders to get involved with sailing.” 

The Mastercard National Youth Training Weeks are designed specifically for younger teams from secondary schools or yacht clubs around New Zealand who are keen to get involved in keelboat racing, and is a genuine feeder for the Youth Training Programme itself. 

The Mastercard  scholarship will assist a team of young sailors to take part in youth training  that may not otherwise be able to due to financial or other reasons. The initiative will have a genuinely positive impact on the chosen teams sailing futures and is a wonderful way to start something Priceless for young people in the New Zealand community.

In 2021 the RNZYS will celebrate its 150th Anniversary and host a number of events many of which will coincide with the Prada and America’s Cup regattas.  The 2021 Mastercard J-Class Regatta and the 2021 Mastercard Superyacht Regatta – will be two significant events hosted by the RNZYS and sailed on the beautiful Waitemata Harbour. These regattas will be massive on a global scale and generate millions of dollars’ worth of revenue for Auckland, as well as being followed by millions around the world. 

As part of the special program of events during 2021, The RNZYS Dinghy Locker Bar will become the Mastercard Dinghy Locker Bar and Mastercard cardholders will have access to the bar throughout this period, along with RNZYS members. This is sure to be a festive and fun location to spend time in. 

Mastercard also become an official Corporate Member of the Squadron and will be involved in many other aspects of the club for the duration of the partnership. The RNZYS welcomes the entire Mastercard team to the Squadron family, and look forward to an exciting and successful next three years.

For more information contact RNZYS PR & Communications Manager Andrew Delves: adelves@rnzys.org.nz