Where Northlanders can watch America's Cup racing on the big screen
Team NZ (left) and Luna Rossa will face off in the America's Cup final races from Wednesday and Northlanders can watch all the action at fanzones around the region.
By Mike Dinsdale
With the America's Cup final series between Team NZ and Luna Rossa set to start next week — Covid alert level permitting - Northlanders have a number of venues showing the racing live.
With Auckland under alert level 3 the racing between the cup holder, Te Rehutai skippered by Peter Burling, and Luna Rossa has been postponed.
The racing was due to start this week, but is now likely to start the best of 13 series from Wednesday next week, when Te Rehutai defends the Cup against Luna Rossa.
America's Cup fanzones have been approved around Northland for people to watch the racing.
One of Team New Zealand's sailors, Olympic yachting gold medallist Blair Tuke, is from Kerikeri so the races are sure to generate a lot of interest in the town.
Where to watch:
Mangonui Cruising Club on Silver Egg Road, Mangonui - open from 1530 each race-day, (closed on Saturday, March 13 for a private function)
Waipapa Business Association (co-hosted by Waipapa Lions Club)
The Turner Centre, Kerikeri
The Bay of Islands Swordfish Club, Paihia
Ōpua Cruising Club
The Duke Tavern, Russell
Otehei Bay, Urupukapuka Island
The Towai/Maromaku Residents and Ratepayers Association possibly has the quirkiest America's Cup Fanzone ever. The land-locked Towai Hall, 32 Towai Rd, Northland, is hosting a free 36th America's Cup experience. Lots of country yacht racing using scale models and electric fence reels. People can grind their way to lots of prizes. Balloon yachting and paper boats are also feature races. A large viewing screen will be in the hall.
In Whangārei there's a big screen at the Marsden Cove Marina providing coverage of all the races.
The boats being raced in this year's America's Cup are pushing the boundaries of both science and design.
The 75-foot foiling monohulls are unlike anything seen before in our waters and have been attracting huge interest and fanfare as they fly across the Waitematā Harbour daily.
The America's Cup match could extend beyond the final scheduled date of March 21, if there are further Covid-19 disruptions.
Organisers are drawing up a number of contingency plans, waiting to see how the Government will define the ongoing alert levels in Auckland.