Fijian Icon The World’s Best Race

The Fiji Regatta competition has shaped up to be the world’s largest races. The annual regatta began in the year 1984. Many yachties across the world have been attracted since then.  The meeting zone is Musket Cove Island Resort & Marina. The regatta has encouraged Fiji all through the world.

The race was pioneered by less than 30 yachts. The resort organized over 200 yachts across the globe. Some of the countries which participated include Brazil, South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, Cayman Island, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and Wales to name a few. The sole objective of the race then was an annual celebration for yachties. This was the initiative taken by Smith and Jack Hargraves who were friends.

The 80 year old Hargraves said Dick Smith was the one to design the first race from Musket Cove to Vanuatu. As per Smith, things did not remain the same when the late Smith planned to halt the races within the Fiji area so as to ensure that yachties did not sail away from Fiji. The regatta organized for the first time was a mix of a few yachties and it was Dick who brought them together to plan something. It was the idea of Dick to get the yachts and sail to Vanuatu. However, many tasks were to be completed like customs clearance and so on.

Dick spent a whole lot of money to arrange the logistics for Vanuatu till the time Dick and Hargraves were in Vanuatu. That is when they both realized how small the yacht club was, even when they were celebrating the RS Games. The whole idea of hosting the race was the year-end get together. Fiji regatta did continue to grow every year and was considered to be the best races in the world. As per Hargraves, the race was an opportunity for yachtswomen and yachtsmen to meet and socialize. The majority of them fell in the ocean and spent almost half of their lives in boats.