America’s Cup - New Zealand’s Cup
I was excited about the America’s Cup, on Monday night, 28th June 2017. I was determined to watch the final race of the match live on Sky TV the next morning 29th June. In my mind, I was wondering - could this be a repeat of the year 2013 challenge when New Zealand was 8 races to 1 race on the winning side only to lost the Cup when Spithill of USA Oracle won eight races in a row to make it 9 races to 1 to snatch the Cup away from New Zealand. I went to bed early that Monday night.
The next morning, before the sun was up, I was driving from one location to another and I was surprised to see that not a single pub with Sky TV was open. No, not opened, Doolan Brothers Ellerslie. No, not opened, Doolan Brothers, Kyber Pass Road, Newmarket. No, not opened, pubs along Parnell. Not opened, pubs in the City Centre. Frustrated, I turned into the Domain and listened to the race on the radio. That was at 5:20 am.
Imagine my jubilation when I heard that we had done it, with a good margin of 7 to 1.
Returning home, I was tired but truly happy and satisfied. I watched excerpts of the race from Duncan Gardner at TV3, pinched myself on my cheek, felt the pain and knew that this was real. Yes, we had won the America’s Cup.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/americas-cup
Why was I so excited?
You see I had seen the effects of the America’s Cup win on New Zealand’s economy way back in 1995 when Sir Peter Blake encouraged us to wear the red socks for luck.
Then I saw Sir Peter Blake successfully defends the Cup in the year 2000 and again the New Zealand economy surged ahead.
Tourism boomed. Hotels and Hospitality sectors boomed. Real Estate, Building, and Marine Sectors boomed. The NZ Government had the money to continue expanding the infrastructures and the Viaduct Harbour in Auckland.
Even Queenstown felt the effects of the property boom as a consequence of the success.
New Zealanders will be welcoming the return of the Cup this Thursday, July 6th when Peter Burling and his crew members will show us the Auld Mug.
https://www.linkedin.com/post/edit/auld-mug-aka-americas-cup-francis-lai
https://www.linkedin.com/post/edit/auld-mug-aka-americas-cup-francis-lai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p-pVBFsfSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnGSTgDN43o