The Inaugural Team Race event for the RONSTAN CUP took place between 9 teams at the Viaduct Basin, Auckland. With the acquisition of 420's by the AYBA (Auckland Yacht and Boating Association), Sandspit and Kerikeri personnel the first large scale, open age level, centreboard team racing event was possible. There was keen interest from yacht club members with teams competing from Wellington (Worser Bay), Auckland (Wakatere, Herald Island, Kohi, Murrays Bay, Torbay, Bucklands Beach) and Northland (Sandspit, Kerikeri). The venue provided an awesome view to spectators of the action as the teams progressed through two pools into a Gold and Silver fleet on the Sunday. This format ensured that over the weekend all teams had the same number of races.

The conditions on Saturday were near perfect for team racing with a Southerly of between 5 and 12 knots. An unusual South Easterly prevailed on Sunday, which kept the racing interesting as the top of the course nestled in the wind shadow of Princess Wharf. The racing in the Silver and Gold Fleets on the Sunday was closer, as expected, with many races staying close till the finish. The clear winners of pool racing were Sandspit and Kerikeri with both teams sprinkled with sailors capable of high quality team racing. As expected it came down to the one race between these two teams on the Sunday to decide the winner. In this race the start was closer than most with both teams pushing close as they dared on the start gun. One boat in each team was early with one Kerikeri boat coming back and one Sandspit boat. However the incorrect Kerikeri boat came back and therefore a second Kerikeri boat came back restarting most of the first leg behind and effectively was out of the race. The remaining two boats in the Kerikeri team recovered to round the top mark with the three Sandspit boats. At the top mark an alleged contact between the two Kerikeri boats was protested by the Sandspit team and upheld by the umpires making the race academic for the Sandspit team.

Ports of Auckland were generous in making the facilities at the viaduct basin available and also Cathay Pacific and Line 7 for their support of team racing in New Zealand. Congratulations must go to the efforts of the Orgainsers, Umpires, Race Officer, Shore Crew and Boatmaster for making the inaugural event such a success. The next major team racing event in New Zealand will be between the top Australian State teams and top New Zealand teams in 2002.