By BERNARD ORSMAN
Supermodel Cindy Crawford declared herself charmed by Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker after he showed her over the black boat yesterday.
Barker, who like Cindy Crawford is an ambassador for the Swiss watchmaker Omega, found time on the eve of his showdown with Russell Coutts to show
the American over NZL82 at the start of her five-day visit to New Zealand.
"Having just met him, he seems like a very charming guy," said the woman whose face and million-dollar mole has appeared on the cover of more than 600 fashion magazines.
The 1.8m-tall supermodel, who turns 37 on Thursday, appeared at a packed press conference at the Louis Vuitton Media Centre wearing the black colours of Team New Zealand - a lightweight off-the-shoulder sweater and trousers, gold hoop earrings and a prominent Omega watch.
Asked if wearing black showed her support for Team New Zealand, Crawford gave a diplomatic "no comment".
What advice, as someone used to pressure, did she have for 29-year-old Dean Barker?
"I wouldn't give him any racing advice ... What I have learned is just to enjoy it.
"How cool is that. He is skippering that boat in the America's Cup in his home country. It's so exciting."
But she found the media conference, attended by about 300 journalists, odd at times.
America's Cup Minister Trevor Mallard and Auckland Mayor John Banks shared the limelight and the model looked nonplussed when the subject of the condition of Auckland's roads came up.
Crawford, who will be aboard the committee boat today to start the racing clock on behalf of Omega, talked about a desire to visit New Zealand, her ease at flying from Los Angeles during a time of security alerts and how she missed her 3-year-old son, Presley Walker.
Then the question on everyone's lips. What was one of the most beautiful women in the world doing for Valentine's night?
"I had an early Valentine's dinner last night with my husband [entrepreneur Rande Gerber]. Tonight I'm having dinner with Omega."
Crawford was the star guest at last night's Omega America's Cup dinner at the Viaduct Harbour.
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
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