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The New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club, organisers of the PIC Coastal Classic race, are proud to welcome Lucky, the 88-foot Juan K-designed maxi that’s just rewritten the record books in the 2025 Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race.
Skippered by Chicago-based owner Bryan Ehrhart and featuring New Zealand sailing legend Brad Butterworth as tactician, Lucky crossed the Tasman in a blistering two days, 20 hours, 27 minutes and seven seconds, less than half the previous race record.
The previous benchmark time was set by Antipodes in 2023.
The PIC Coastal Classic, often described as New Zealand’s great race north, will celebrate its 2025 edition over the upcoming Labour Weekend.
Starting from Auckland on October 24 and finishing in Russell in the Bay of Islands, the 119-nautical-mile sprint traditionally attracts everything from cruising multihulls to high-tech grand-prix campaigns.
With Lucky now joining the fleet, organisers say the milestone edition promises one of the most competitive line-ups in recent memory.
“This is a huge moment for the Coastal,” NZMYC Commodore Adrian Percival says.
“Having a boat of Lucky’s calibre on the start line highlights how far this race has come.
“She’s proven herself across the Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific, and now the Tasman.
“Seeing her charge north alongside New Zealand’s best will be unforgettable.”
The yacht’s performance pedigree, combined with Ehrhart’s leadership and Butterworth’s tactical nous, makes Lucky one of the most formidable offshore machines of her generation.
The 2025 PIC Coastal Classic fleet will assemble off Devonport Wharf on Friday, October 24, with more than 100 boats and hundreds of sailors expected to take the start gun.
Weather permitting, Lucky’s northward sprint will be one of the most closely watched in years.
