America's Cup comes to Northland in October

Northlanders who missed out on a chance to welcome Team New Zealand home will be able to see yachting's top trophy when it tours the region's sailing clubs in October.

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is taking the America's Cup trophy, along with some of the crew, on a two-week, 23-town tour of the country starting in Taipa and ending in Invercargill.

After a stop at Taipa Sailing Club in Doubtless Bay on October 6 the silverware will be on display at Kerikeri Domain on October 7, hosted by Kerikeri Cruising Club - home of Cup winners Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney - before it heads to Whangarei Cruising Club for the evening.

Kerikeri businessman Dave Keen, who is helping to organise the trophy's Bay of Islands stopover, said the sailors accompanying the cup had yet to be confirmed but he hoped Andy Maloney would be included. Maloney got his start in sailing at Kerikeri Cruising Club and the high school sailing programme before moving to Auckland.

Also expected to take part were Chris Hornell of Opua, the head of on-water operations while the team was in Bermuda, and hydraulics engineer Carsten Mueller of Waipapa.

The original plan was to have the trophy on display at the club headquarters but members opted for the Domain instead due to parking and traffic limitations at Dove's Bay.

"The idea is to bring the sailing club to the Domain," Keen said.

Various displays and opportunities for public interaction were planned.

After Team NZ's triumph in Bermuda, Keen tried to organise a homecoming parade in Kerikeri, with skipper Peter Burling and sailors Tuke and Maloney all having ties to the Bay of Islands town. He had earlier organised parades to welcome Tuke and Burling after their medal wins at the London and Rio Olympics.

However, Team NZ was unable to fit in a Kerikeri parade and soon afterwards Tuke headed overseas to join the Spanish team for the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race. He is currently taking part in the Fastnet Race in the UK.

Royal NZ Yacht Squadron general manager Hayden Porter said the tour was a way of giving back to smaller clubs where many top sailors got their start in the sport.

"We want to make sure the regions get an opportunity to see the world's oldest sporting trophy. It'll also promote the sport and hopefully bring the towns to the clubs," he said.

The America's Cup trophy, nicknamed the Auld Mug, is a metre-tall sterling silver vessel made in 1848. It has been modified twice to make space for more names and was extensively repaired in 1996 after protester Ben Nathan attacked it with a sledgehammer in Auckland.

■ The cup will be on display at Taipa Sailing Club from 5pm-7pm on October 6, Kerikeri Domain from noon to 2pm and Whangarei Cruising Club from 5pm -7pm on October 7.