RNZYS and Emirates Team New Zealand help yacht clubs with Cup tour

by Yachting NZ and Sail-World on 25 Sep 2017 The America's Cup winners, along with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, will tour a number of regions with the Auld Mug in October and will drop into the Pleasant Point Yacht Club on October 14 for a fundraising event.

Pleasant Point Yacht Club sails on the Avon-Heathcote Estuary and are currently working out of five shipping containers as they look to build new facilities after the Canterbury earthquakes. If they can raise $1 million to re-build the clubrooms, apart from ensuring their club thrives, they will be contributing to the regeneration of South New Brighton and grassroots sailing in eastern Christchurch.

The club’s committee have been busy working on the event for some weeks and have secured a venue sponsor and several sponsors for the evening.



A similar visit by Emirates Team NZ to Gulf Harbour Yacht Club on Friday attracted a crowd of over 800, with queues outside the club with fans waiting to have their photo taken with the America's Cup - with the quid pro quo being that they signed up to receive the club's newsletter. A dinner that evening was a sell-out.

“We are very grateful to Emirates Team New Zealand for this offer and to our sponsors for getting behind the event,'Pleasant Point Yacht Club spokesman Nigel Humphreys said. 'It is a massive opportunity for our club and we need to make the most of it.

“We are also extremely grateful to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand for offering their magnificent facility as part of a sponsorship package to the club. It’s a very impressive building complete with vintage aircraft on the floor and hung in the ceiling space. I think our Kiwis Can Fly theme struck a cord with their management but, in saying that, the museum has been at the forefront of helping out a lot of earthquake-affected organisations in Christchurch since 2010.”

The public event will be held in the conference and event hall of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Wigram from 7pm-9pm. It is a ticket only, seated event with no door sales. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

VIP guests and sponsors will enjoy an audience with Emirates Team New Zealand prior to the public event.

The evening will include several auction prizes, including a helicopter ride to a mystery destination piloted by Richie McCaw, a horse power experience in a dual sulky behind Monkey King, New Zealand’s top-earning harness racer, a hot lap around Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna, a signed, framed Emirates Team New Zealand shirt and other items that can be found on Galabid.

The club have also established a Give a Little Page where yachties from throughout New Zealand are encouraged to donate to help Pleasant Point Yacht Club achieve their goal to build replacement facilities.

A similar visit is planned for Lake Wanaka Yacht Club on October 6, 2017