Prada fans endure silent coverage of Cup defeat

Italian yachting fans watched silent televisions yesterday as Prada trailed Team New Zealand, the Europeans' drawn-out despair mirroring that of New Zealand cricket fans the day before as the Black Caps faced certain defeat.

Television New Zealand's coverage from the Hauraki Gulf, broadcast early in the morning by one of Italy's biggest networks, was without commentary because of a journalists' strike.

Paolo Cecinelli, an Italian reporter covering the America's Cup regatta, said press and television journalists in turn had staged national 24-hour stoppages in support of a campaign to improve their work agreement.

The time difference meant that Saturday's newspaper readers were not deprived of Cup reports, but viewers of live coverage had to watch silent coverage.

Cecinelli said viewers would not have been outraged at the disruption.

"This sort of thing happens two or three times a year. They are used to it."

Yesterday's impressive start by Team NZ restored a bit of hope to fans after the Super Sports Saturday that wasn't.

The day began with optimism as thousands settled into the American Express NZ Cup Village and Eden Park to watch the black boat's first test against Prada and the Black Caps' first one-day match against Australia.

As the wind refused to blow and the NZ cricket team collapsed, spectators at each venue hoped in vain for good news from the other.

The Cup yachties were farewelled shortly before 10 am by an Air Force fly-past and a cacophony of boat horns that could be heard on the North Shore.

Two thousand boats followed them out into the gulf, while back on land the Cup village remained busy, with the hometown bias obvious in the number of red socks on display.

For once there was even a good reason to wear socks with sandals.

The village was still packed when the frustrated yachties returned, followed by a snarl-up of super yachts jostling to get back into Viaduct Harbour in a scene reminiscent of rush-hour at Spaghetti Junction.

Detective Superintendent Peter Marshall, the police commander for the America's Cup, said the atmosphere was like "a Hawkes Bay wine festival."

Meanwhile, at Eden Park, the crowd of 35,000 took to entertaining themselves with Mexican waves within 10 overs of the start as the Black Caps lost quick wickets.

Organisers had planned to keep the crowd updated with yachting news, but told them of the postponement shortly before 3 pm.

"It's been a non-event of a sporting day, but we've enjoyed ourselves," said Milford resident Tony Vogel.

The boats will return to the water tomorrow. Dark skies are forecast but light winds may again stall racing, says the MetService.

Fine weather is expected for the rest of the week, in which Dunedin will host the second one-dayer on Wednesday and the third Cup race will take place on Thursday.