Resolve Group Principal Consultant, Rob Lorden, helped crew Sir Peter Blake’s iconic Round the World yacht, Lion New Zealand on the annual Coastal Classic this past October. Regarded as one of the world’s iconic yacht races, it departs from Auckland’s Devonport Wharf and finishes at Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands. This year, the stiff sou-westerly breeze resulted in numerous records being broken, the winning boat, Team Vodafone Sailing, taking a staggering 28 minutes off their previous race record, and setting a new time of just 5 hrs: 13 mins: 21 secs. Lion NZ finished in 11 hrs: 44 mins: 03 secs, and here you can see Rob (in the beanie) helping get the boat across the line.

The City Rail Link (CRL) completes a “missing link” in Auckland’s transport system and is the key project in Auckland Transport’s development of an integrated transport network to keep Auckland moving as the city grows by more than 700,000 people over the next 30 years.

Twin 3.4 kilometre-long tunnels up to 33 metres below the city centre are proposed, linking Britomart to the existing rail line near Eden Terrace. The proposed route runs below city streets as much as possible to reduce effects on property owners and city heritage buildings during construction and operation.

The construction of two new city centre stations (Aotea and Karangahape Rd), and a redeveloped station at Mt Eden, will give easier access to more parts of the city centre and major employment areas and will also double the number of people living within 30 minutes train travel of a city station.

Resolve Group was involved in the procurement of the Principal’s Technical Advisor commission. Construction is forecast to commence in 2015/16, although it remains unfunded, with opening currently forecast for 2020/21.