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Newsroom
2 days ago
- Business
- Newsroom
Why Auckland's 2027 America's Cup bid never stood a chance
Auckland's unsuccessful five-month bid to secure the hosting rights for the 2027 America's Cup appears to have been doomed almost before negotiations started with the Government. Documents released to Newsroom show that Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's insistence that the Government allow his council to bring in a hotel bed levy as a funding source, was an early and significant hurdle. The Government had already refused the bed levy request, and Auckland's failure to have any other way of co-funding the event was highlighted repeatedly in advice to Cabinet ministers from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). The city's hopes to stage the 38th cup regatta were extinguished on April 1, when Auckland Council's culture and economic agency announced the Government had declined to co-fund it. Following the failure to strike a deal with Auckland and the Government for 2027, the cup defender sold the hosting rights to the Italian port city of Naples. Team New Zealand had revived hopes of a 2027 home defence in October 2024, soon after winning the cup for a third consecutive time in Barcelona. Documents sought by Newsroom from the council agency Tataki Auckland Unlimited, and MBIE, show a five-month negotiation that began with enthusiasm, but that soon ran into difficulty. Four months into that process, Grant Dalton, the chief executive of Team New Zealand, expressed frustration that no one from the Government had been in touch with him. It was 10 days after Team New Zealand's unprecedented third consecutive cup win, that Auckland officials began moves to secure the 38th running of an event the city had last hosted in 2021. Barcelona hosted the 37th cup, after the Labour-led government and Auckland Council, which backed the 2021 Auckland regatta, made an offer to Team New Zealand that fell short of the defender's needs and was rejected. Unusually, Dalton began talking about what a post-Barcelona future might look like, even before the team had secured the Auld Mug in late 2024. At first, Auckland didn't seem to be a part of it. 'Whether New Zealand could host the (next) Cup would be for politicians to decide and make a bid, rather than the team actively seeking a deal,' he told Stuff in a September interview. But on October 27 more than a week after victory, Dalton told this writer, in Barcelona, that confidential talks were underway to explore a joint public-private sector hosting bid in Auckland. 'We are completely genuine in terms of – if we can get this (event) home, we will,' he said. Two days later, inside Auckland Council's culture and economy agency, that work began under a code name. 'We will refer to it from now on as the 'Special Project' or SPWG, rather than the America's Cup,' wrote Tataki's head of major events Michelle Hooper to a chosen group of 10 agency staff on October 29. 'There is stiff competition from other cities to host this event, so we need to move swiftly and with focus to pull together a winning bid to present to Team New Zealand,' Hooper wrote. Tataki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) met in person with Dalton and his chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge a month later. Notes prepared by TAU have all dollar references redacted, but noted 'there is potential private sector funding interest from a consortium of wealthy benefactors to the tune of (blacked out).' 'This sum could be doubled with the right structure, support and campaign, based on discussions with the representative of this group,' said TAU. Newsroom understands the hope was that private backers could provide as much as half of the media-reported hosting sum of $150 million. Barcelona's late and successful hosting bid for the 2024 cup was made possible only when wealthy individuals in just 15 days agreed to underwrite $44.8 million of revenue, kickstarting the formal bid. TAU provided 'high-level' information to MBIE in November and more detail in December, outlining the case for hosting, and some of the key elements in a bid. All the infrastructure was already in place in Auckland, said the local officials, following the investment made for the 2021 Cup, creating space for bases and public viewing. A total of $348.4m of ratepayer and taxpayer money went into permanent infrastructure on Auckland's waterfront, and event-running costs. A TAU briefing prepared for Cabinet ministers in December 2024 doesn't reveal the hosting fee sought by Team New Zealand, but Newsroom understands it was around $40m. An initial cost-benefit analysis commissioned by TAU put the net benefit at up to $1.19 for Auckland, for each dollar invested, and up to $1.15 at a national level. The briefing also outlines what would soon appear to become a significant hurdle for MBIE and the Government. 'The mayor is clear that Auckland's financial contribution is dependent on the introduction of a visitor levy,' said TAU. Brown appeared to be using the cup hosting as a lever to get government approval for a nightly bed levy – something the government had already ruled out. Under Brown, Auckland Council significantly reduced ratepayer funding for major events, in the expectation the government would agree. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is adamant the Government allow his council to bring in a hotel bed levy as a funding source. Photo montage:Before TAU's first detailed pitch went before Cabinet ministers, MBIE's Kylie Hawker-Green wrote back to the Auckland officials to ensure she would be accurately conveying the city's stance on its funding contribution. 'I will be stating that Auckland's cash contribution is contingent on the establishment of an accommodation levy of some form being established prior to the event delivery window,' she put to TAU. She intended to tell ministers that: 'If no accommodation levy is established, Auckland Council will not be in a position to contribute a direct cash contribution to AC38.' Two days later, Hawker-Green presented a 23-page briefing to the Major Events Ministers Group, made up of eight ministers, Sport and Recreation's Chris Bishop, Melissa Lee for Economic Development, Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown, Paul Goldsmith for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Trade Minister Todd McClay, and Tourism and Hospitality's Matt Doocey. Hawker-Green outlined Auckland's dependence on a future bed levy, under a section entitled. 'Funding sources are highly speculative'. To that same meeting, TAU argued benefits that would flow into the marine and technology sectors concluding the event would 'provide Auckland and New Zealand with an unparalleled opportunity to showcase its marine and technology prowess'. 'By hosting the event, Auckland cements its position as a world-class destination for innovation, sport sustainable technologies and cultural celebration.' A potential event programme submitted to MBIE by TAU in November 2024, outlined cup events in Auckland spanning a year, from a women's and a men's regatta in February 2026, through to the challenger series and the cup itself from October 2026 to almost March 2027. The December ministerial briefing paper included MBIE's 'preliminary views' such as this fleeting reference to the upsides of hosting. 'Crown investment in an event of this significance and scale presents a strong signal of New Zealand's ability and willingness to host mega events and would catalyse direct economic activity for Auckland.' A subsequent MBIE paper from February 12, 2025, included an ominous line about that multi-minister briefing. 'Pre-Christmas engagement on the opportunity drew mixed views from the MEMG (Major Events Ministers Group). MBIE's advice to ministers in a range of papers provided to Newsroom, highlights what it saw as risks, and downsides for the Government. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's insistence that the city be allowed to introduce a nightly bed levy was repeatedly cited as a hurdle. 'Local government investment remains unconfirmed,' was one sub-heading on a topic MBIE officials would underline repeatedly. The other cash problem was that the undisclosed amount being sought from the Government's coffers outstripped what was available in its Major Events budget, where some money was already ring-fenced for unnamed possible events. 'The Crown would need to establish a new appropriation to provide investment in the AC38,' wrote officials in a March 4 briefing. In short, the Government had no earmarked funds available, nor had Auckland Council. On February 28, TAU lodged a formal application for Major Events funding with MBIE. Along with the formal document, the Auckland agency forwarded an email it had received from a clearly frustrated Grant Dalton. 'To date, in the four months since Emirates Team New Zealand won the America's Cup, I/we have not had any direct contact or indication at all from central government level (PM, ministers or even MBIE) if they are even interested in the America's Cup being hosted in Auckland,' Dalton wrote. 'It is of paramount importance and necessity to have a firm indication from the Government on the extent of their desire to host AC38 before this can progress any further with meaningful direction.' 'In response' noted an MBIE ministerial update on March 4, 'the Minister for Sport and Recreation (by then, Mark Mitchell) contacted Mr Dalton directly to discuss the Crown's consideration of the investment opportunity.' Dalton had wanted faster progress, and had told TAU in late 2024 that if a business case for local hosting was submitted by the end of that year, he would halt negotiations with other potential venues, until the bid process concluded. Seemingly unaware of the skeptical tone in MBIE's briefings, TAU was pressing on. On March 25 it asked the ministry to agree to a timeline in which the Government's decision on funding would be made by April 18. But by the time that email from TAU's Michelle Hooper landed in MBIE's inbox, the hosting bid was dead. A week earlier, in the MBIE briefing to the Minister of Finance, and Economic Growth, Nicola Willis, the ministry said: 'Noting ETNZ's upcoming end of April 2025 deadline, the significant risk around Auckland not having identified a funding source, and the opportunity cost of an investment of this quantum in the present economic climate, we present two options for you to consider'. Willis chose the second: 'instruct officials to cease work on the proposition now, noting risks, and advise TAU accordingly.' On February 21, four days before Hooper's last nudge to MBIE, Willis' private secretary emailed the ministry: 'The minister has signed the paper (attached), agreeing to cease work and notify TAU.' The final six-page paper from the ministry to Willis – which presumably outlines the final view on the merits of funding a cup hosting – has been withheld from Newsroom, by MBIE. Over the following week, much of the material released by MBIE to Newsroom, is about the preparation of a communications plan around the decision being announced. On March 27, MBIE's chief executive Carolyn Tremain broke the news to TAU's chief executive Nick Hill in a phone call, who then told Dalton. The formal letter from the Government came the following day. 'We acknowledge that events like the America's Cup can deliver a range of significant benefits,' wrote Tremain. 'However, Auckland Council's contribution was based on the introduction of a new 'accommodation levy' or similar funding mechanism, which is not a priority for this Government,' she wrote. 'Additionally, the investment risk would require government to identify and ring-fence new money at the expense of other funding priorities such as health and education.' In a statement publicly ending the hosting hopes, TAU's Hill wrote: 'This situation again illustrates the need for a long-term sustainable funding model in New Zealand to support major events.' A month later, further underlining Auckland's shrunken funding for major events, Hill in a memo to local politicians, informed them that an advanced bid to host the Gay Games had been strapped, and a lean funding pipeline also put at risk Lions rugby tours in 2027 and 2029, and an ICC Tour cricket World Cup in 2028. Team New Zealand continues to negotiate with challengers, to agree a protocol – a set of event and design rules – for the Naples cup regatta in 2027.
NZ Herald
16-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Peter Burling on Team New Zealand exit, America's Cup success and what comes next
'Bouncing straight back out of that into another win was something pretty cool, looking back,' he recalls. 'I'm not sure whether it was superstition or not, but it was actually the first time I'd lifted the thing when I picked it up on stage. 'In our world, some people have a superstition that you don't want to pick it up until you've won it, and some people have a 'just you get a photo with it at any opportunity' kind of vibe. 'It was a little heavier than I thought. It was pretty cool. It's just such an iconic sporting trophy.' It was the first of three straight campaigns that ended with Burling hoisting the Auld Mug aloft. But after a decorated decade at the helm, the 34-year-old's tenure with Team New Zealand came to an end last month as the team opted to move on after drawn-out negotiations. 'It's been an amazing journey over the last 10 years. Some incredible memories with some incredible people, and a lot of success within that time,' Burling says. Discover more From the sailor's perspective, the negotiation was similar to what it had been over the past three cycles, with his desire to run concurrent campaigns in different competitions. He had been able to balance commitments with the Olympics and his roles as driver and co-chief executive of the Black Foils in SailGP in recent editions of the Cup, and believes being able to have that additional sailing time in other competitions was ultimately to the benefit of the team as well. However, that proved to be the deciding factor in negotiations. 'Team New Zealand saw it a little bit differently, where they kind of wanted a bit more control than they have in the past, and especially with my specific role within that,' Burling explains. 'It was just, I suppose, a subtle difference in terms of the amount of uncertainty between how the two were going to operate compared to what they've given me in the past. 'I think when you look at the Black Foils and SailGP and how exciting that proposition is, I really wanted to continue my position within that team. For me to be able to compete for New Zealand on the home stage, as well as the international stage, is really motivating and exciting. 'To see the first Auckland event have 25,000 people getting through the race stadium, you know, hundreds of thousands of people watching that event live, and for people to actually get super excited about a consistent sailing property right at the highest level in New Zealand annually is something that really motivated me there. 'I really wanted to keep my position within the SailGP team, and the way Team New Zealand saw it, they didn't see that probably quite the same as I did.' Negotiations between the two had been ongoing since they won the 37th edition in Barcelona late last year, which Burling had said was not unusual. It wasn't until February 2022 – almost a year after Team New Zealand defended the Cup in Auckland – that Burling and longtime teammate Blair Tuke confirmed they would return for the 2024 defence. However, in announcing Burling would not be with the team for the next cycle, Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said time was a luxury they did not have and the team had to move on in preparation for the next edition, to be held in Naples, Italy, in 2027, and the tighter cycle required 'a dedicated and new approach for continued success.' While Auckland was among the contenders to host the next edition, Burling says it's hard to know how a home regatta might have affected negotiations, if at all, and admits with the current economic model of how the Cup's structured, he didn't hold out much hope of it being in New Zealand this time. He did, however, think there would be a few more rounds of discussion between himself and Team New Zealand, but knew the offer that stood wasn't something that worked for him. 'I get along really well with Dalts. Obviously, it's been a really successful relationship for the last 10 years, so we have pretty good, open, frank conversations,' Burling says. 'For me, when you looked at previous campaigns, there's a lot of back and forth as to actually how to set the thing up for success in the first instance. 'They decided they weren't going to shift their position, so that was pretty much where things ended. But it's a part of life, it's part of sport, and you've got to be happy with the decisions you make.' There were no discussions about the possibility of him staying on in a different role. 'Our conversations were very much around [that] they wanted me to be in that key role, the one I've done for the last three cycles. It was probably a little bit of surprise that they didn't want to explore other options, but that's for them to decide, and, for me personally, I'm not really sure how those conversations would have unfolded, but we didn't go down that route.' It closes the book – for now – on Burling's time as an America's Cup sailor. He exits with a slew of accolades, including becoming the youngest helmsman to win the Auld Mug when, aged 26, he steered the team to victory in Bermuda, won three America's Cups in a row and set a new record for most America's Cup match race wins by a helmsman with 22. Advertise with NZME. He says the special thing, since it was confirmed he would not be with the team for the next cycle, has been that it has given him the chance to reflect on what he and the team had achieved. Burling succeeded Dean Barker as helmsman after the unsuccessful 2013 Cup challenge against Oracle Team USA in San Francisco, after racing for the Kiwi syndicate in, and winning, the Youth America's Cup in the same year. Burling and fellow Youth America's Cup sailor Tuke had watched the rollercoaster finish – with Team New Zealand conceding an 8-1 lead to lose 9-8 – from Marseille in France as they competed at, and won, the men's 49er world championships. Burling says that relatively quickly after that America's Cup he got a call asking if he wanted to be involved in the following cycle. Both he and Tuke were confirmed as members of Team New Zealand's next challenge in January 2014. 'I got a baptism of fire,' he recalls of his debut campaign. The 2017 cycle brought plenty of changes, including a new class of boat in which the number of crew on board dropped from 11 to six, and rules prohibiting challengers from building more than one new boat, while Team New Zealand didn't confirm they would be financed enough to commit to a challenge until six months after Burling had signed on. When the team got to Bermuda, they were fighting to keep their boat in decent shape and had to work their way back from a capsize during the semifinal of the Challenger Series. They were able to push through, however, this time getting the better of the American defenders. 'It's definitely a campaign, when you look back ... [in which] a lot of 50/50s, a lot of those close calls we always have in sport, seemed to just continue to roll our way,' he says. 'After we flipped, having a little more time to repair the wing, having a slightly easier opponent at that stage so you kind of didn't need to be back at 100% straight away, the continued fight to keep our foils in one piece, there was a lot of management of the boat to make sure we still had a boat to sail by the end of it, and then just the progression we were on at that stage ... it was really cool looking back at it.' It was the first in an America's Cup hat-trick for Burling and Team New Zealand, also winning regattas in Auckland in 2021 and again in Barcelona last year, which were contested on the radical 75-foot (23m) foiling monohull AC75s the team introduced after winning in 2013. And just as things progressed on the water, so too did his affairs on land. Burling is now a married man, and he and wife Lucinda are parents to 1-year-old Paloma. Together with Tuke as co-chief executive, he helped launch the New Zealand SailGP Team – later renamed the Black Foils – while the pair also founded Live Ocean, through which they support marine conservation projects and engage partners to help drive action and awareness to protect the seas. 'My motivation's incredibly high. I still absolutely love the sport. Obviously, life's a little bit busier than it was when you first started out, but I've always really enjoyed being busy and doing a lot of things at once. I feel like that's a lot of the reason why I've had so much success within my career; really being able to take the learnings from different facets of the sport or facets of life and bring them back in and apply them in a really positive way,' he says. 'It's been incredible, the last part, to grow a family. Lucy and our daughter have been absolutely amazing along this journey. It's been so cool to have that part of my life now, which obviously means that your time's even more important to you to be able to really enjoy that part of your life, which is really cool and something that we weigh into considerations.' While he is no longer a part of Team New Zealand, opportunity will still likely knock for Burling in the America's Cup arena in some capacity. He says his phone started ringing as soon as the news broke, with potential challengers testing the waters. Whether or not Burling will be able to sail for another team remains to be seen, with the confirmed protocol – the blueprint for the next edition - set to be released before the end of next month. Advertise with NZME. 'I definitely went into this with that goal of trying to be part of Team New Zealand and a structure that really worked for me into the next cycle, but the sailing community is incredibly small, so everyone knows everyone incredibly well and everyone's kind of feeling it out. 'Never say never. It'll definitely be interesting to see when the protocol comes out and the rules and the venue, just how everything can tie together, but, yeah, [I'm] definitely open to opportunities.' Dalton has previously noted that a draft version of the protocol allowed for two non-nationals to be recruited, and indications of that rule became stronger when Team New Zealand this week confirmed British sailor Chris Draper among their core sailors. However, it is understood that non-nationals recruited cannot fill on-water racing roles unless they were not involved in the last edition. In that situation, Burling will still be able to join another team in a non-racing role, but everything about his potential future in the Cup remains hypothetical until the protocol has been locked in. For the immediate future, Burling is focusing on drawing attention to the proposed Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill - which plans to introduce 19 new marine protection areas in the gulf to help address environmental decline because of human activities, but has stalled after two readings – through Foil4TheGulf, a mass foiling event on May 24 at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club co-hosted by the Black Foils and Live Ocean. 'We would love to see that get through Parliament. It's something that the Hauraki Gulf's really one of those amazing parts of New Zealand's landscape, traditionally,' he says. Advertise with NZME. 'It's one of the largest marine parks in the world, but it really is at a tipping point where we need to start getting runs on the board, start getting wins. By no means is this bill the complete solution, but it's a great step forward and one we need to get behind and really support and then showcase some really positive change.' He will head abroad in June for the next SailGP event, with the global foiling league returning in New York on June 8-9 after cancelling their event in Rio de Janeiro scheduled for this month to address and issue with some of the wingsails in the fleet. Then he's off to Nice, France, for the United Nations Ocean Conference. And while he feels he and Team New Zealand could have come to a solution on another campaign, Burling accepts it wasn't to be and is looking forward to what life has in store for him next. 'I'm definitely still on really good terms with everyone there. I've obviously really enjoyed my time and the opportunities and the way I've grown as part of Team New Zealand. 'But I'm looking forward to continuing my journey; continuing to grow the Black Foils, continuing to put ocean health on the agenda on the New Zealand stage with Live Ocean and really drive some positive change there and also continue to try and grow myself as a person and spend more time with family. 'I'm just looking forward to the next period, what opportunities come up and where life ends up taking me.'
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Team NZ America's Cup defence set for Italy
The America's Cup will be sailed in Italy for the first time in 2027. Defenders Team New Zealand have opted to host the 38th America's Cup in Naples, on the waters of one of their fiercest rivals. After last year's event in Barcelona, racing for the 'Auld Mug' will shift to the coastline between Castel dell'Ovo and Posillipo in 2027, while team bases will be established at Bagnoli. After rejecting a return to Auckland, Team New Zealand chief executive officer Grant Dalton said the team had a "very efficient venue selection process" to award hosting rights. "There is a raw spirit and absolute pride in Italy that seems so appropriate to have the next America's Cup here," Dalton said. "It feels like we are bringing it to the people, in our ambition to continually grow the audience of the America's Cup and sport of sailing. "Italians are the most passionate and engaged America's Cup audience, and obviously, it is the home of Luna Rossa, who are such an amazing team and strong competitor. "From the defender's position, it certainly feels like we are entering the lion's den competitively, but from an event perspective, it feels like the perfect venue to host the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup." In 2012 and 2013, Naples hosted two America's Cup world series events in the lead-up to the 34th America's Cup. As current holder and trustee of the America's Cup, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron said it was looking forward to Naples. "Bringing the Cup back to Europe - into the heart of one of the world's most vibrant sailing communities - not only honours the rich history of the event, but also creates an incredible opportunity to showcase New Zealand sailing and innovation on a global stage," Commodore David Blakey said. Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi said hosting the event would "generate a substantial economic impact on our territory". "The event is set to be the most significant sporting occasion ever hosted by Naples, transforming the city's iconic Gulf into a stage for spectacular races among the world's elite sailing teams. An opportunity to show the world not only the beauty of our landscape, but also the city's ability to competently address the great challenges of the present." Manfredi said Bagnoli was a strategic area "where the Government has decided to invest decisively, with the goal of finally returning it to the city and its citizens". "The complex work of environmental remediation and redevelopment in Bagnoli is already underway, and progressing according to plan. The America's Cup will serve as a powerful accelerator for tourism, the maritime economy, local entrepreneurship and the development of new skills, providing a tangible preview of what this area can become, upon completion of its urban regeneration." Team New Zealand announced a replacement for helmsman Peter Burling this week, with Australian Nathan Outteridge to stay part of the crew, alongside Blair Tuke, Andy Maloney and Sam Meech, while British sailor Chris Draper has also been signed-up. The challenger entries open in June, with Alinghi and Ineos Britannia already stating they would not be competing again in 2027.
NZ Herald
05-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
America's Cup: Key questions after a dramatic start to the 38th edition
Alinghi Red Bull Racing's decision to not launch a challenge for the 38th America's Cup was a legitimate surprise – to the point where the Defender of the Auld Mug, Team NZ, even appeared to be caught off-guard when the Swiss confirmed their position. While entries are not yet open for the next edition, it was believed that all challengers from Barcelona intended to return for the next cycle. Perhaps the most surprising part was that the team made the call before the protocol had been released. Alinghi Red Bull Racing were one of two new challengers to enter the 37th America's Cup. Photo / America's Cup Alinghi Red Bull Racing noted frustrations with the Defender in regards to the future of the event were a key reason for the decision, while Dalton said the Swiss had been supportive in meetings about the direction of the next regatta so far. The 37th edition felt like the event was taking another step towards its former glory with an increase in challenging syndicates. The Barcelona regatta had the equal most challengers since the 2007 edition – with many of the competing teams not coming back into the arena following the 2010 debacle which saw Oracle Team USA dethrone Alinghi in a Deed of Gift match after a court battle. However, the news poses the question of whether or not other challengers from Barcelona will follow the Swiss out. Italian syndicate Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli have already indicated they will again be trying to pry the Auld Mug from the Kiwis' grasp, while UK challenge Athena Racing – formerly Ineos Britannia – are the challenger of record. The New York Yacht Club's American Magic skipper Terry Hutchinson said in an interview with Scuttlebutt Sailing News in January that they were committed to continuing, but were waiting to see how the regatta shaped up. France's Orient Express Racing Team have not yet publicly indicated what their future in the event looks like. Will there be changes to nationality rules? In addressing the exit of the Swiss, Dalton noted a very intriguing aspect of the draft protocol in the potential loosening of eligibility rules. The previous edition of the Cup, 100% of the sailing crew had to either be a passport holder of the country their team represented prior to March 19, 2021, or have been physically present in the country – or representing the team in Auckland during the 36th America's Cup cycle – for two of the three years prior to the same date. For the next edition, it could be that teams can bring international recruits into their sailing team in a bid to lift competition with the draft protocol allowing for two non-nationals per team to help bolster the sailing talent on board. If that allowance remains in the official protocol, there could be some very intriguing story lines to follow – and it would likely make Peter Burling a hot commodity on the open market. Peter Burling was at the helm for Team NZ in the last three America's Cup campaigns. Photo / America's Cup Burling had an offer from Team NZ withdrawn due to the time it was taking to come to an agreement, which leaves the three-time Cup-winning helmsman without a team for the new cycle. Burling is yet to share his side of the story or provide an indication of his future plans in the Cup arena, but he has plenty going on. Family is at the top of that list as he and wife Lucinda welcomed a baby girl in March last year. In sailing, Burling is the driver and co-chief executive, alongside wing trimmer Blair Tuke, of the Black Foils – New Zealand's SailGP Team – while the pair also have Live Ocean, an ocean conservation foundation they established in 2019. However, should he be interested in returning to the America's Cup in a sailing capacity, it would be a surprise if he was not approached by challenging teams should they be allowed to have non-nationals on board. If the new protocol keeps the current 100% nationality rule, Burling might still be a sought-after adviser given his experience and expertise in the AC75. Who takes the wheel? With Burling gone, who will be asked to step up? That's the big question around Team NZ as they go into their first America's Cup without him since 2013's regatta in San Francisco. Leo Takahashi and Seb Menzies were the helmsmen for Team NZ's Youth America's Cup team in Barcelona, with Josh Armit, Oscar Gunn and Veerle ten Have in the team as well. The Women's America's Cup team had Liv Mackay and Jo Aleh at the helm, working alongside Molly Meech, Gemma Jones and Erica Dawson. Team NZ could look outside their current in-house talent as well in order to find the right candidate, as they did in bringing Nathan Outteridge in as co-helmsman for the last campaign, and Dalton said the team had their eye on people. 'I still remember Pete arriving for the first meeting with me, it might have been 2014, with a 49er on his roof rack and with that hunger. We're responsible, too, to bring these new guys on as well and you could possibly see them, if they come in fast enough, they could be in the next Cup on board,' Dalton said. 'We have our eye on people. We started that process through the Youth America's Cup last time – Youth America's Cup will continue in the next cup – but we've got to bring them on as well.' Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits. Page 2
NZ Herald
29-04-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
America's Cup: Key moments from a dramatic start to the 38th edition
Six months removed from the conclusion of the 37th America's Cup, the new cycle might have already exceeded its predecessor in terms of off-water storylines. After a relatively tame cycle in the America's Cup ended with Emirates hoisting the Auld Mug in Barcelona last October, the latest chapter in the storied event has had a dramatic start. Christopher Reive looks at the five key moments in an eventful start to the 38th edition.
