How the America's Cup was transformed from a remote race to a spectator event on Auckland's harbour
GettyImages Diane Brand , University of Auckland Every good race needs an avid audience of dedicated fans to spur the competitors along and the 36th America’s Cup , which starts today, is no exception. But current protocols are a far cry from the event’s rarefied and remote origins in Britain. For most of the cup’s history, the race was sailed on offshore courses away from the viewing public, under the auspices of elite yacht clubs. Times have changed. Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton specifically sited the opportunity of racing in the enclosed waters of Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour as a way to maximise the public’s ability to view the event from land. “This America’s Cup is for everyone,” says Team New Zealand’s Ray Davies. This has been the way Aucklanders have watched regattas since the early colonial days when two of New Zealand’s favourite diversions, gambling and sailing, collided. ...