Sips from the Cup: Christening time for Team New Zealand

Compiled by JULIE ASH

The first of Team New Zealand's boats built to defend the America's Cup will be christened by Lady Pippa Blake on Monday August 26.

NZL81 will be officially launched at a public ceremony at the Viaduct Basin on the evening of August 26.

The boat was transported from Cookson's Boatyard to the Team New Zealand base last week where it has undergone final fittings and touch ups.

As has become the custom, the black boat will be named New Zealand.

The public will be able to watch from Waitemata Plaza as Lady Pippa breaks a bottle of champagne on its bow.

Lady Pippa also christened NZL57, the first boat of the 2000 cup defence, accompanied by her husband, the late Sir Peter Blake - who headed Team New Zealand.

Team New Zealand's second boat for the 2003 defence, NZL82, is still under construction, but will have a less formal launch at the team base in Halsey St.

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Victory Challenge's second new cup boat SWE73 (Orm) rolled into their base last Sunday.

The boat spent the night on a dock at Ports of Auckland before it was transported to the base early the next morning.

The syndicate hope to begin their two-boat training with Orm and their first boat Orn (SWE63) at the end of the month.

"Of course, we won't be certain until we start sailing with her but we hope that our development work has made her some tenths of a knot faster than Orn," said Victory Challenge project manager Mats Johansson.

Also arriving in Auckland last week was GBR's second cup yacht GBR78 and Prada's ITA80.

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A number of Team Dennis Conner members have also touched down in Auckland.

USA77, the yacht which sank off Long Beach, is already in Auckland. USA66 is expected to arrive next week.

Conner and the team will be here by the end of the month. The team's retail shop opened last Friday.

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OneWorld Challenge have donated a model boat to the Line 7 Yacht Club on Princes Wharf.

The boat is on display at the Yacht Club and will be auctioned to the highest bidder in the next six months.

All proceeds will go to New Zealand Youth Sailing.

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OneWorld have also planted the 100,000th tree on Motuora Island - reaching the Motuora Restoration Trust's goal of 100,000 trees.

The team planted the trees to offset the effects of the carbon dioxide being emitted from the team's chase boats/weather boats.

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Alinghi's Murray Jones is recovering well after breaking his foot while sailing a week ago.

The former Team New Zealand strategist had an operation on his foot last Friday and is now sporting a cast.

Depending on how he progresses, a new waterproof cast will be fitted in the coming weeks and he'll be allowed back on the boat.

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Oracle BMW Racing staff must be the envy of all other syndicates on the block.

Thanks to their sponsorship deal with BMW the team have been given 20 new Beemers to drive.

The vehicles will be used to transport the team and equipment to and from the base and escort members to various public engagements and events.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup