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Experienced Marlborough yachtswomen Jo Ivory and Steffi Waanders have entered the Round North Island Two Handed Race, which starts on 19 February 2011.

Theirs is the only two-woman entry this year, and they will be sailing one of the biggest yachts in the fleet.

Caro Vita, a stunning 53 ft Warwick owned by Jo, is a familiar sight in the Sounds where she operates as a luxury charter yacht.  Caro Vita is no stranger to ocean sailing though.  She was brought to New Zealand from Hawaii in 2003 by Jo and a group of friends, and has since sailed regularly around the South Pacific.

Both Jo and Steffi are members of Waikawa Boating Club.

The Round North Island Two Handed Race is held every three years, and is organised by The Shorthanded Sailing Association of New Zealand.  This demanding race starts and finishes in Auckland and covers over 1200 miles, with three stopovers enroute – Mangonui, Wellington and Napier. This year 40 yachts will be contesting the race, this is by far the biggest fleet entered and still more on the waiting list.

New Zealand’s unpredictable weather conditions provide the shorthanded crew with numerous challenges and to complete the two week race is a huge achievement. 

Caro Vita’s sponsors include Moa Beer, North Sails, Nelson Rigging, Dimension Polyant, Gourock, Hampidjan Nelson, Shann NZ, Oddies, Uroxsys Marine Coatings, Le Cafe, Peak Fuel, Signs at Work, Sounds Marine, Clos Marguerite, Charter Link Marlborough, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Wright Communications, Winstanely Kerridge.

Jo is committed to not only promoting her charter business but also promoting the province of Marlborough and the entire infrastructure that this involves.

JO IVORY – Skipper Born in Marlborough to a well known horticultural family, Jo always loved sailing and has been a competitive member of the Waikawa Boating Club. A mother of two, she has developed a successful vineyard in the Awatere Valley and is currently gaining her pilot’s license.

STEFFI WAANDERS Born in Germany, Steffi first started sailing at 11. Living in the Marlborough region for the last six years, she and her partner Richard have owned their own yacht for six years and have sailed up and down the east coast of the North Island many times and offshore to Tonga and New Caledonia.

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