After years of preparation, Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa are finally set to enter the starting box tomorrow - getting the America's Cup officially under way.
Team New Zealand (R) and Luna Rossa (L) Photo: Emirates Team New Zealand
Fans are looking forward to it, teams are being guarded in public and organisers are just hopeful the majority of racing will be able to take place under alert level 1.
Racing was delayed by more than a week because of a Covid-19 community outbreak in the city and a subsequent rise in alert levels.
Organisers were hopeful the majority of racing would be able to take place under level 1, with the government holding a review of restrictions on Friday.
The first team to win seven races will take home the Auld Mug - one of the oldest sporting trophies in the world.
Neither defender Team New Zealand nor challenger Luna Rossa gave much away in a pre-race media conference on Tuesday morning.
Team New Zealand skipper Peter Burling was guarded on the topic of pre-starts, saying he did not want to reveal all his team's tactics.
"I think what you can expect from us tomorrow, you'll probably have to wait and see, we don't want to give them too many tips," Burling said.
He did acknowledge it was going to be a "really tight yacht race".
"Until we get to that first race where we actually get to line up and go off the start line together, that will be the first time teams will have a real good feel for how speeds are going.
"Saying that, it will only be for one wind strength, one condition and looks like a pretty dynamic period in terms and weather and that will make it pretty exciting," he said.
Peter Burling and Max Sirena Photo: Photosport
Luna Rossa skipper and team director Max Sirena said there was a lot of pressure on both teams.
He said Team New Zealand were going to be hard to beat, but that was going to make for exciting sailing.
"We know they are fast because we sailed against them more than two months ago and we saw them sailing against the American and English [teams], but it's too early for me, I don't have a crystal ball," Sirena said.
'We're expecting a good time'
Tamaki Makaurau's business community was gearing up for what it hoped would be a busy period following the slump caused by level 3 restrictions.
Auckland Unlimited general manager Steve Armitage said there had been over 3000 orders for buntings, posters and displays.
"Which I think is a pretty good indication that our businesses do want to find the positives in the particularly challenging year we have had and the America's Cup provides a really good outlet for that," Armitage said.
He said this summer would have been a "particularly hard one" for the business community without the event.
"In some respects we're hoping we have banked a lot of good will with a lot of people who will be predisposed to a visit to Auckland and New Zealand now and that will be something our business community can capitalise on."
While there were no buntings on display at the official Team New Zealand bar, next door at The Conservatory director Tricky Hartley said he was ready for the punters to arrive.
"Down here on the waterfront we are very reliant on the tourists, however you've got to look at it for what it is. We're out of it now, we're expecting a good time ahead and hopefully this is going to be the thing we have all been waiting for," Hartley said.
