Editorial- Dawn of a new day for Kiwi sailing

by nzeditor@sail-world.com on 7 Jun 2007 Welcome to Sail-World.Com’s America’s Cup newsletter for the Final Day of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

Emirates Team New Zealand won a close race today to secure their fifth successive win and earn the right to challenger for the 32nd Match for the America’s Cup.

Luna Rossa had made changes overnight, a new measurement certificate issued, and appeared to be much better for them. Her tactics were much more appropriate to the day, and the racing, and ITA-94 came close to taking one off the Kiwis. The Italians, always popular in New Zealand, can leave the regatta bloodied, but unbowed.

Delivered by paragliders, the Louis Vuitton Cup arrived at Port America’s Cup in front of a huge crowd in a spectacular show, and was presented to the full Team gathered in the late afternoon sunshine in Valencia.

In New Zealand, the scenes were somewhat more subdued, with some fans choosing to stay up through the night to watch the final stanzas. Others preferred to take in the morning TV summary or enjoy the supporters breakfast at Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and be part of a live TV broadcast.

Overall the feeling in New Zealand was one of relief. That a blemish on the country’s sailing history, had now been erased. And, that win or lose the Challenge for the America’s Cup, Kiwi sailors could once again walk tall.

The night of the last four years was over.

Now is a good time to reflect on what has transpired since those dark, and bewildering, days when then Team New Zealand Trust chairman, Peter Menzies, fended off media questions over the structural failure of NZL-82 and the general failings of that team.

From there, Grant Dalton took over a team that did not consist of too much at all, save for a large helping of nationalist pride in a event, which had purposely been re-designed to downplay nationalism and facilitate multi-national crews. Some strengths of the previous team were retained, and the rest acquired.

It was the NZ Government and a couple of key sponsors, notably Bob Field and Toyota, together with Dalton’s mentors, who got the Team New Zealand show back on the road.

But it was not until the announcement of the major backing by Emirates and the launch function that the team began to fire. For this scribe, there is the lasting memory of Sir Tom Clark sitting down the back of the Challenge boat, with a smile across his face, the width of the Waitemata. 'This feels just like 1995' declared the since deceased Knight. And how prophetic his words were to prove yesterday in Valencia.

The Boys have done well. Sir Peter and Sir Tom would be proud of you.

Others have, or will find out, that you can take the Boys out of New Zealand, but you can never take the New Zealand out of the Boys. It is that factor of national pride that has driven, sustained, and will carry Emirates Team New Zealand, on the next and final stage of their America's Cup journey.

Well done guys!

A fabulous effort. We are all very proud and thankful for what you have achieved. Long may your success continue.

Good sailing!

Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor