Yachting: Team NZ focused despite dramas

Emirates Team New Zealand.

Team New Zealand is trying to keep focused as the America's Cup becomes more of a disaster.

Luna Rossa won't race in their Louis Vuitton Cup opener as they want the international jury to hear their protests before taking to the water.

The other team racing, Artemis, is yet to return to the water after the death of sailor Andrew Simpson.

TNZ boss Grant Dalton says the whole saga is increasingly frustrating but they need to remember their ultimate goal.

"That's really important, that we keep sight of that here.

"I can't control what they want to do. Does it annoy me? It seriously pisses me off.

"But I can only control what I can control."

Team New Zealand appear almost certain to be sailing around San Francisco Bay alone when the America's Cup challenger series begins on Monday morning.

Dalton told Veitch on Saturday that Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena's comments are not an empty threat.

"I rang him and he said 'We're not going to race'. So I can only take that as the Italian on the other end of the phone telling me they're not going to race."

Dalton says he doesn't believe Luna Rossa will pull out of the entire event.

He says despite the farcical situation, Team New Zealand will be on the start-line as they are ready to go.

Dalton says they owe to their sponsors to be out there and they also want the point, despite it being a hollow point.

He says they need to get the points on the board, however they come.