In 1940 an event had been sailed in the opposite direction to celebrate the capitals centenary.

1951 wellington lyttelton yacht race. It was expected that the fastest yachts would complete the journey in one and a half days the slowest in five days. The 26 ft Nelson cutter Husky and the 30 ft Wellington cutter Argo were lost with all. Among the important events highlighted was the gruelling 1951 Wellington to Lyttelton ocean yacht race sailed in storm-force southerly winds and in which 10 competing New Zealand yachtsmen lost their lives.

Twenty yachts left Wellington bound for Lyttelton in an ocean yacht race to celebrate Canterburys centenary. To view this map please upgrade your browser. Start of the Wellington to Lyttelton yacht race on 23 January 1951.

Twenty yachts left Wellington for Lyttelton in a race to celebrate Canterburys centenary. Stranding of the Hawea Imagine the drama there would be today if a ship ran aground on Rocks Road. But there was rapid improvement in standards of design and construction of boats and their gear in safety standards and in seamanship.

1951 Wellington to Lyttelton. Yachts Argo and Husky lost in Cook Strait during Wellington-Lyttelton race with 10 lives lost. A sever southerly storm with gale force winds and heavy seas began on the 24 January and many of the yachts withdrew and took shelter.

Two others were lost along with their 10 crew members. The Tawhiri is now home and being restored. Her first The race 1958 based on the disastrous storm-swept 1951 WellingtonLyttelton yacht race in which Arnold France took part won her the Award for Achievement from the New Zealand Literary Fund and established her at once among the countrys best novelists.

The Wellington cutter Astral was dismasted. In 1951 an ocean race was sailed from Wellington to Lyttelton in connection with the Canterbury centennial. Leaving Wellington on 21 January in bad conditions the 22 yachts faced a severe southerly gale which resulted in the withdrawal of nearly the whole fleet.