Blair Tuke's mum a nervous wreck during America's Cup racing

Karin Tuke is a bundle of nerves every time her sailing son Blair takes to the water in the America's Cup. Photo / Michael Craig

Karin Tuke wears the red socks, reckons she walks a marathon every race but never, ever wishes her son good luck.

The proud mum says despite Blair's sailing prowess she remains a nervous wreck come race day and it's not until his boat crosses the finish line that she can start to relax.

Said Tuke: "I walk a marathon every morning - or maybe two - that's what I do and I don't watch much."

She says it's always been this way but it was made worse recently when the Emirates Team New Zealand campaign almost foundered in the sea off Bermuda.

"I've always found it difficult but after the capsize I've found it incredibly difficult."

Now she's packing her bags to capture the final days of racing in Bermuda but whether she'll actually see anything is another matter.

"One friend did say, 'You can't watch it on TV, how are going to watch it live?'" she laughed.

Nonetheless she's off with family having waited until it was certain her boy - one of three - was into the finals.

Ahead of the trip she had bought stacks of lucky red socks and handed them out to friends and family. She wears them every day ETNZ is on the water.

"I went to The Warehouse and purchased a dozen red socks which I've got on and passed them over to lots of friends."

But this is where any superstition ends with a pre-race text message between mother and son reflecting a match-winning focus on skill and preparation.

"I message him every evening so he gets it in his morning and that's a little ritual that's gone on for quite a number of years.

"It's never good luck, it's always go well, enjoy."