Kaipara Cup
Free event!

Using nothing more than paper, glue and paint, make a floating object that must survive for at least 200 metres in the river!

​There will be prizes for 1st , 2nd and 3rd across the line and a special prize for the most original design!

​The inaugural Kaipara Cup will be held over Labour weekend on the Kaipara River as part of Arts in the Ville 2024. This free event is open to all members of the public, (children and adults) and allows participants the opportunity to have fun and be creative at the same time. Try origami, free form, papier mache, craft your vessel in detail or just use screwed up paper. Use your imagination, as long as it floats!

All entries must be delivered to the Helensville Art Centre by 3pm on Saturday 26th October where each entry will be recorded and numbered. There is a limit of one entry per person.

UPDATE:
The race is currently planned for 9am Sunday 27th Oct. If weather is too wet and windy the race will be postponed. A decision will be made on Saturday 26th Oct and entrants contacted after 7pm Saturday evening.

Handmade paper boat by William Flowers.

A flotilla of some 2024 entrants this year!

RULES

• ​Boats must be no more than 40cm x 40cm x 40cm but can take any form the designers decide on.

• Using nothing more than paper, glue and paint.
• ​Paint can be used for water proofing your design.
• If ballast is required, the one other material allowed to be used are stones.​
• The start line will be 200 metres west of the Helensville wharf (at the river bend), and the finish line directly out from the Creek Lane wharf.
• All designs will be released together just after high tide at 8.05am, allowing the outgoing tide to carry the flotilla along the course to the finish.
• The Coastguard will be on patrol throughout the race and will retrieve the boats.
• All entries will be retrieved at the finish line, including those left high and dry in the mud along the way.
• The ‘Kaipara Cup’ will be awarded to the first entry across the line.
• This hand made trophy will be retained by the designer of the winning entry for 12 months and returned to the Helensville Art Centre before Labour weekend 2025.
• Should the weather on the day be considered not suitable for racing, the race will be held at 9.15am the following day - Labour Day, Monday Oct 28th.
• If this day’s racing is cancelled, participants will be notified of a new date for the event.
• The Kaipara Cup racing committee has the right to reject entries that do not meet the above- mentioned rules.