Helen Clark is 18th 'man' aboard NZL-92 for Cup opener

by Emirates Team NZ Media and Sail-World on 15 Apr 2007
New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark, will sail on NZL 92 for the first race of the challengers series on Monday.

She said she considered it an enormous privilege to be on the Emirates Team New Zealand boat for the first race of the challenger series.

On Friday evening, the Emirates Team New Zealand base in Valencia hosted a 100% Pure New Zealand event, organized by Tourism New Zealand.

Two hundred people, mainly international media and Valencia city and government leaders attended along with Prime Minister Helen Clark and Auckland mayor Dick Hubbard.

The night started with the projection of images of New Zealand on to a water screen, supported by spectacular lighting and New Zealand music.

Then the waka, paddled by 18 Maori warriors, emerged from the special effects’ fog to perform a haka for the guests.

Dick Hubbard, presented a carved paddle to the mayor of Valencia, Rita Barberá, to seal the relationship between the two cities.

Helen Clark highlighted the opportunity that New Zealand’s participation in the America’s Cup gave to increase business and cultural links with Spain.

She said that she had been meeting with investors and business people to explore new areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Singer Hinewehi Mohi, renowned for blending the Maori language with contemporary music, entertained guests who were fed a typical Kiwi barbeque food with New Zealand wine.

The food included scallops, grass fed fillet of beef burgers, Canterbury lamb racks with kumara mash, scampi tails, marinated salmon, sesame cervena kebabs and honey ice cream among other delicious New Zealand delicacies.