America's Cup: No Queen St ticker-tape parade despite Team New Zealand win

Peter Burling with the America's Cup during the last parade held in Auckland in 2017. Photo / Dean Purcell

There are no plans to hold a ticker-tape parade despite Team New Zealand's victory in the America's Cup.

Unlike past cup wins, a request has been made by Team New Zealand to Auckland Council that no official parade celebration take place.

After previous wins, the victorious crew has taken the Auld Mug through the central streets.

Ticker-tape parades have long been a tradition of celebrating the accomplishments of victorious New Zealand teams competing in the America's Cup.

The America's Cup was snared by Team New Zealand this afternoon in a dramatic final race off Auckland's East Coast Bays on course A.

A spokesman for Auckland Mayor Phil Goff confirmed the plan to limit the extent of public celebration.

"Emirates Team New Zealand specifically requested we not have a parade and so we support that request that they've made."

It was on the basis that everyone had been through a tough year and Team New Zealand didn't want to put any further costs on to the host city or ratepayers.

"It was a request they had made themselves and one that the city was happy to support."

Instead a swag of festivities are planned for the moment a cup winner is found with Auckland landmarks being lit up the colours of the victorious team and a fireworks display due to take place over Waitematā Harbour later that day.

This is regarded as a thank you from the host city to Aucklanders to acknowledge their support of the event and congratulate the winning team.

"We're only focused on the day ahead of us," Auckland Unlimited general manager destination Steve Armitage said earlier today.

"We've certainly planned for an enhanced programme of activity culminating in the presentation of the trophy and then some festivities into the evening which will bring the city to life but we're not looking beyond today at this point."

In past years the Auld Mug was taken to major centres across New Zealand with fans turning out in force, clogging parade routes to catch a glimpse of the silverware and the triumphant team.

The last parade took place in 2017 after Team New Zealand won back the cup in Bermuda. However, because of construction, the traditional Queen St route was bypassed in favour of a downtown waterfront route.

• For more ways to enjoy race day, visit at.govt.nz/americascup.