By JULIE ASH
It's an elaborate idea.
A giant Russian-made cargo plane flies in from the Middle East to Auckland. Its mission - to pick up Emirates Team New Zealand's replacement race boat NZL81 then lug it to Valencia to succeed the seemingly cursed NZL82 for the second and third cup pre-regattas.
It's
a long shot, but Emirates Team New Zealand are expected to decide in the next day or so whether it's a viable way of staying in the next phase of their America's Cup campaign.
The syndicate's race boat NZL82 was pushed off its cradle into one of the team's shipping containers during a violent storm in Marseille at the weekend.
The yacht suffered extensive damage to its left side and cannot be repaired in time for the second and third regattas, which start on October 5.
Unlike Alinghi and Oracle, whose yachts were also damaged in the storm, Team New Zealand do not have a replacement yacht in Europe.
Team New Zealand's NZL81 and the recently acquired former illbruck yacht GER68 are at the team's base in Auckland, 19,000km from Valencia.
NZL81 has spent the past few weeks undergoing similar strengthening work which NZL82 underwent before it was shipped to Marseille.
It is understood NZL81 is nearing completion. The problem lies with how to get it to Valencia before the next regatta.
Shipping is out of the question as that takes around six weeks. Flying the boat to Europe is the only answer, but it comes at a gigantic cost.
It is understood the syndicate have located a plane in the Middle East that could deliver but the job will cost around $1 million.
Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton is believed to be on his way back to Auckland and will decide in the next day or so whether his team will participate at Valencia.
* In addition to the six teams that raced in Marseille, two Italian teams will join the fleet in Valencia, the Luna Rossa Challenge, and +39.
