America's Cup - Auld Mug to tour almost 20 yacht clubs in October

by Emirates Team New Zealand on 3 Oct 2017 The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron with support from Toyota New Zealand are taking the America’s Cup, the oldest trophy in international sport, on a national tour of the regions to give as many New Zealanders the chance to see the trophy in person but also with the aim of attracting a new generation of young kiwi girls and boys into the sport.

From October 6th - 18th, the trophy will tour the country starting in the north at the Taipa Sailing Club and working its way down country all the way to the Bluff Yacht Club in Bluff.

Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton:

“This has been something very important to myself and the team since winning it. We really felt the support from everyone all over New Zealand when we were in Bermuda and want to repay that support by getting it to as many people as possible.”

“We want to get as many young kids interested in sailing as we can. What we are seeing now with today's stars like Peter Burling, Blair Tuke, Andy Maloney & Josh Junior is that they are the generation of kids that were inspired by winning the cup in 1995 and 2000 and have emerged as the best in the world that have won the cup again.”

“We want to encourage the next generation of Peter’s, Blair’s, Josh & Andy’s to take the sport up and continue the strong legacy of sailing in NewZealand.”

The other key objective is to help raise funds for the local clubs for them to be able to strengthen their programs, none more so than the Pleasant Point yacht club who are fundraising to build a new yacht club that was destroyed in the Christchurch earthquakes.

Among other pit stops along the way the trophy will pay special visits to the towns of Edgecumbe and Kaikoura to bring some inspiration to the towns and their people who have been battling so hard to recover from the recent floods and earthquakes respectively.

“While we have been caught in our bubble of immense work and pressure of winning the America’s Cup, the adversity the people of Edgecumbe and Kaikoura hasn't gone unnoticed by the team, and we hope by taking the America’s Cup to them is a small thing we can do to help them on their road to recovery.”

The America’s Cup will travel around the country in a convoy of Emirates Team New Zealand branded Toyota Hilux’s and escorted by team members including; Andy Maloney, Josh Junior, Guy Endean, Joe Sullivan, Simon van Velthooven, Ray Davies and Richard Meacham amongst others.

The current schedule is:

Fri October 6th- Taipa Sailing Club
Sat October 7th- Kerikeri Cruising Club
Sat October 7th- Whangarei Cruising Club
Sun October 8th- Thames Sailing Club
Sun October 8th- Mercury Bay Yacht Club
Mon October 9th- Edgecumbe
Mon October 9th- Rotorua Yacht Club
Tue 10th October- Taupo Sailing Club
Wed 11th October- Napier Sailing Club
Thu 12th October- Queen Charlotte Yacht Club
Fri 13th October- Lake Brunner Yacht Club
Sat 14th October- Kaikoura Boating Club
Sat 14th October- Pleasant Point Yacht Club
Sun 15th October- Timaru Yacht and Powerboat Club
Sun 15th October- Oamaru Yacht and Powerboat Club
Mon 16th October- Wanaka Yacht and Powerboat Club
Mon 16th October- Queenstown- Wakatipu Yacht Club
Tues 17th October- Bluff Yacht Club
Wed 18th October- New Plymouth Yacht Club