AMERICA'S CUP NEW ZEALAND Billy and Akaisha Kaderli While visiting New Zealand in February, 2003, a rare and exciting event called the America's Cup was taking place. The oldest and best known trophy in international yachting competitions, affectionately known as the "Auld Mug", has a long and prestigious history. It was first offered as the Hundred Guinea Cup in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight. The America, a 100 ft. schooner from New York City, sailed to England where she participated in and won this race. Their silver pitcher trophy subsequently became known as "The America's Cup". AUCKLAND SKYLINE The American winners of the cup entrusted The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) with the "Auld Mug" in 1857 for a perpetual international challenge competition. In 1987 the San Diego Yacht Club took control of the U.S. competition, and the cup seemed to be cemented safely in its case, though challenge, after challenge was mounted. Finally, in 1983, Australia II, with its now legendary winged keel, beat NYYC's Liberty 4-3, taking the cup out of the USA for the first time in its 132 year history. In 1987, the USA wrested the cup back from the Aussies off Fremantle, Western Australia. New Zealand's first challenge was mounted in 1988 at San Diego, and they competed vigorously ever since, clearly learning from each challenge. But it was not until May 14, 1995 that New Zealand's Black Magic, skippered by Russell Coutts, blanked the US 5-0 in the best of 9 series. The New Zealand yacht was too good in almost every way for US defender Dennis Conner and his team in Young America. For only the second time in 144 years, this amazing victory off San Diego's coast, entitled the Kiwis to take the America's Cup out of the US, to New Zealand.

After the Cup victory and a hero's welcome in a nation where sailing is a leading sport, Coutts remained in the spotlight. Along with Tom Schnackenberg, and Brad Butterworth, Coutts took over the administration of Team New Zealand, replacing yachting legend Sir Peter Blake. The heavy responsibility of securing and paying a team of yacht designers, a crew of sailors, negotiating broadcasting rights, finding sponsorship and otherwise attending to the endless details of operating Team New Zealand fell to Coutts and his two partners. This total obligation proved to be too much for them to handle.

 VIADUCT BASIN

Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf were chosen as the next race site, and the Viaduct Basin was completely redeveloped.  Twelve challenger syndicates settled into the Cup Village in 1999.

Coutts and Butterworth quit Team New Zealand in May of 2002, and were lured by the Swiss who were determined to get the best crew to skipper their challenger boat Alingha. This "disloyalty" threw the Kiwis into total turmoil. Nonetheless, the Kiwis were so confident of their Black Boat that they did not bother to test it in anything other than ideal conditions.

 BEAUTIFUL AUCKLAND HARBOR

Out of the best of nine races in the America's Cup Series in 2003, the Kiwis broke critical parts in three, darn near sank in one, and didn't finish two. Quite upsetting and disappointing to New Zealanders, the talk in pubs, on TV, radio shows and in newspaper print was "the Race". Issues of loyalty, team effort, capitalism, free agents, economic windfalls, boat building and weather conditions were all discussed and argued over. This embarrassing loss was obviously hard for the Kiwi’s tight knit sailing community.

Now, it’s up to the Swiss to defend the Cup. Time will tell if they can keep it in their grasp, but whatever happens, you can bet it will be exciting.

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