By MICHAEL DALY
Aucklanders fearful that the weather is damaging the city's reputation as a sailing venue need look no further than one-time arch rival Dennis Conner for moral support.
Even as the count rises on the number of racing days lost in the America's Cup challenger series because of winds that
are too strong or too light, Conner rates this series as the best.
And after nine cup campaigns over 28 years, the man New Zealanders once loved to hate is possibly the best-qualified person in the world to make such a comment.
"They've done the best job of any country, ever," Conner said.
With his latest bid to win back the trophy he lost to Team New Zealand in San Diego seven years ago now over, that seems a mighty kind thing to say.
The reason for the event's success was the support coming from the New Zealand public, Conner said.
"The people just love it, and it's certainly in their best interests economically. So it's a two-way street ... The New Zealand people have benefited tremendously by having the event. It's a perfect win-win situation."
Some people have suggested that Auckland's changeable weather detracts from the event, increasing the role played by chance, but Conner simply sees it as something that has to be dealt with.
"It's a universal problem. There is luck involved in all sailing."
He thought most people considered Auckland a good place for the cup.
"I don't hear anyone complaining about being down here. Quite the opposite."
Conner said he was aware of some sentiment among Europeans that the race would be better in Europe.
But he had detected no sizeable support for the idea that the cup would be better held somewhere else, and personally thought it would be "terrific" if it stayed in this country.
Perhaps his feelings are coloured by the support he receives from New Zealanders as he moves around.
"I think the New Zealand people relate to me as a battler, as opposed to just being a richie."
Despite his positive comments about the hosting of the America's Cup, he does have some questions about the timing of the competition.
"To my mind, for the benefit of New Zealand, not necessarily Team New Zealand, the event should have taken place in April.
"Here, there's only going to be two teams left by Christmas [in the challenger series]. How does that make sense?"
The semifinal repechage to determine the second of the two challenger series finalists could run through to December 29.
But there are enough days racing before December 25 for one team to have the opportunity to win by then.
"How does that make sense? To have everybody gone by Christmas when the holidays come, and you've got all the good weather."
Conner pointed out that in the six weeks from the last day scheduled for the semifinal repechage, through to the America's Cup itself, the only event was the challenger series final.
That could be over in as few as five races, with a maximum of nine.
The whole event could be over by the third week of February, with the fifth race in the best-of-nine clash for the America's Cup between the top challenger and Team New Zealand scheduled for February 22.
"How does that make sense?"
Who the eventual winner might be he would not predict. Anyone who thought he could was "not very bright."
"No one knows," he said.
Despite growing interest worldwide in the cup, he expected yachting to remain a good career for talented young New Zealanders.
He considered that the focus on the sport in this country, and a lack of alternatives, to be behind the high profile of this country's sailors.
How many other ways were there for people in this country to do well in a sport, move to Switzerland and be paid millions of dollars?
He doubted whether more youngsters would be taking up yachting in the United States or Europe.
"Kids aren't reading about this in America, they're hardly seeing it on TV.
"Our best and brightest are going to Harvard and Yale, working for Morgan Stanley.
"For a young man here to go and make $10,000 a month on the yacht racing circuit is a lot of money relative to what he could make here.
"It's not a great deal of money in the United States."
While most of the sailors might not be in the big league financially, some team bosses were right at the top.
Conner was happy about their presence, even though they could spend far more than was available to Team Dennis Conner.
"How about all the media covering this. They're covering this because of all these intriguing personalities, Larry Ellison and Craig McCaw and Ernesto Bertarelli. Who would care if it was just Dennis Conner?"
He said rich men were attracted to the event by the competition, the power, and because of ego.
Although his own hopes of victory have gone, Conner will be staying in Auckland for the rest of the contest. He did not know whether he would be mounting any more challenges.
- NZPA
Profile: Team Dennis Conner
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule, results and standings
By MICHAEL DALY
Aucklanders fearful that the weather is damaging the city's reputation as a sailing venue need look no further than one-time arch rival Dennis Conner for moral support.
Even as the count rises on the number of racing days lost in the America's Cup challenger series because of winds that
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