Oamaru to host 'Auld Mug'

Team New Zealand's Peter Burling with the America's Cup trophy.
Team New Zealand's Peter Burling with the America's Cup trophy.
The South will get another chance to bask in the glory of New Zealand's America's Cup victory.

Kevin Murdoch
Kevin Murdoch

The cup, along with Team New Zealand members and representatives from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, will visit Oamaru, Wanaka, Queenstown and Invercargill in October as part of a regional tour.

Dunedin held an America's Cup parade in July.

Squadron general manager Hayden Porter said the oldest sporting trophy in the world would come to Oamaru on October 15 before it went to Wanaka and Queenstown on October 16, and Invercargill on October 17.

In Oamaru the ``Auld Mug'' would be hosted as part of an open day at the North Otago Yacht and Power Boat Club.

Club commodore Kevin Murdoch said the cup's tour party would include four members of the successful America's Cup New Zealand squad and four members of the yacht squadron.

``It's a pretty big thing for wee Oamaru. It's pretty exciting.''

Mr Murdoch said the Oamaru club was approached to see if it wanted to take part, and Mr Murdoch believes it was because the club created a tape showing their support for Team New Zealand during the Bermuda competition.

He understood members of Team New Zealand would travel with the cup.

In Queenstown, the cup will be hosted by the Wakatipu Yacht Club but confirmation was still being awaited from the Wanaka Yacht and Power Boat Club and Invercargill's Greenpoint Yacht Club.

Mr Porter said his team had a lot of requests from people to bring the cup to regional towns.

A tour was planned around the sailing season and daylight saving.

``We also looked at who is quite active in things and it seemed like Oamaru's very active with boating and yachting.''

He said the groups selected to host the visit of the famous silverware would organise how the cup would be viewed by the public in their town.

 

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