2000 America's Cup winner NZL-60 goes on permanent display in Auckland
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 4 Aug 2020 19:41 AEST
4 August 2020
NZL-60 winner of the 2000 America's Cup in Auckland goes on display outside the ETNZ base in Auckland © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com
NZL-60, the winner of the 2000 America's Cup has gone on display outside the Emirates Team New Zealand base in the Viaduct Harbour, Auckland.
In the 30th Match for the America's Cup, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron became the first club outside the USA to successfully defend the America's Cup.
Team New Zealand's NZL-60 or Black Magic IV defeated Italy's Luna Rossa sailing in the first of their now five America's Cup campaigns.
Prada Challenge's Luna Rossa came through probably the most competitive Challenger Selection Series, in history for the Louis Vuitton Cup. Italy beat the San Francisco based team AmericaOne from St Francis Yacht Club.
Since the 2000 America's Cup win, Team New Zealand Director and philanthropist, Sir Stephen Tindall has subsequently looked after NZL-60 intending to put one of New Zealand's national sailing treasures on display for the benefit of the New Zealand public.
The 2000 America's Cup was the third to be sailed in the 82ft International America's Cup Class - which was a restricted rule, rather than a one design. One key design edge was the development of the 35 metres (115ft) Millennium rig, which had several innovative features, notably offering less drag and reduced tip weight.
NZL-60 was also notable for her "Ice Breaker" bow, which stretched her waterline length to its maximum possible under the IACC Rule.
She was helmed by Russell Coutts in the best of nine races which comprised the America's Cup March. He handed over the helm to protege Dean Barker (26) for the final race in the series. After an involvement with Team New Zealand in 1992, Barker sailed the trial Horse for Coutts in the build-up from 1995 to 2000, and went on to sail in five America's Cup campaigns for New Zealand and two others for Japan, and now the New York Yacht Club's American Magic.
The 2000 Cup winner is located just around the corner of the Emirates Team New Zealand base from the 2017 America's Cup winner the wingsailed multihull in the AC50 class, Aotearoa. The first New Zealand America's Cup winner, NZL-32 Black Magic is also on display in the National Maritime Museum a couple of hundred metres from the Emirates Team NZ base.
The 1988 America's Cup Challenger, the 120ft overall 90ft waterline so-called "Big Boat" is also on permanent display in the Viaduct Harbour, dominating the area.