Rotorua sailing fan a 'nutter' for America's Cup

Self-confessed America's Cup super fan Keith Walker is counting the sleeps till Sunday's race, and there are only two to go.

"I am a bit of a nutter when it comes to sailing."

The Scion Rotorua employee and water sports fanatic has been watching the America's Cup for as long as he can remember.

"I get a bit of flak from my family. I have a daughter who lives on a dairy farm down in Tokoroa and she said, 'so you like yacht racing over helping out your family?' I just had to suck it up and say, 'yep, absolutely'.

"I love it, I've always loved it."

Although he has loved every race Mr Walker said a highlight was watching the racing live in Auckland.

While the America's Cup is on his mornings are dedicated to the races and his evenings to reading all he can about them.

"I get home, fire up my phone and it just progresses.

"I start off on one story, then I see something else and it ends up being a couple of hours before I've read it all."

Super fan Keith Walker has picked Team New Zealand for the win. Photo/Stephen Parker

Mr Walker said his wife even snapped him one day listening to commentary in the bathroom.

"Sometimes there are great videos and she must have walked by and heard the volume," he said.

This year Mr Walker signed up for Sky after finding the races would not be available live on free to air television.

"I've been able to watch other sports, like the Lions tour, but I definitely got it for the America's Cup," he said.

Peter Burling and the red-hot Kiwis are leading 3-0 in the first-to-seven-wins showdown and Mr Walker said he would "pick New Zealand to win it".

"Kiwi Kiwi Kiwi!" he said.

"Little old Kiwis we definitely fight above our limit, it's the No 8 wire type thing. Look at what we've brought up that they all poo poo'd in the beginning."

However it doesn't matter who's racing or winning Mr Walker said he "still loves it".

The next race is on Sunday morning, free to view on Prime from 6.30am.