Huffington Post rates Onetangi Beach Races #1 for Feb

You know the iconic Onetangi Beach Races on Waiheke Island are truly famous when the Huffington Post gives it a mention.

In an article written by Nicolleta Moncalero on The 12 Most Beautiful Places to visit in 2016, the Italian version of Huffington Post says that February is when visitors need to be on Waiheke Island and at the Onetangi Beach Races.

Known for racing horses, tractors and Sealegs amphibious boats, this year the event is adding a Waiters race, a Segway race and a Uniformed Services challenge involving the Waiheke Coastguard, St John's, Fire Service and Police.

More than 5000 people attend the free beachside event every year, with all funds raised by organisers Waiheke Rotary going back to support projects in the local community.

The Onetangi Beach Races have their origins in a family fun day out that started back in the 1890s.  A major attraction through the years, the local authorities stopped the races in 1924 because they deemed the people of the time were gambling too much money!

Revived by Keith Haub, the owner of the then McGinty's pub in Onetangi (and named after his champion racehorse) it again became a huge event on the island.  However, 10 years later the event died out before being revived by the Rotary Club of Waiheke in 1998.