Invercargill residents had the chance to have their photo taken with the "Auld Mug" yesterday morning. The cup was in the city during a whistle-stop 19-day tour of the country.
Mrs Finlayson said the cup’s visit to the city created a lot of hype for the sport ahead of New Zealand’s defence of the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona next month.
"We are very excited to have it come all the way down to Invercargill."
The sailing season was due to start next month, when they hoped the club would attract interest from people willing to learn to sail.
"So they start with these little plastic boast and they can aspire to be foiling at the America’s Cup."
Each of the sailors defending the cup all started by initially honing their skills on an Optimist, she said.
"We sail these down at the Bluff Yacht Club in the harbour and we have kids from the age of 8 starting to learn how to sail these."
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s national public 40-stop tour was about two-thirds completed. Gore and Dunedin were its next stops before ending at Auckland’s Glendowie College on September 19.
- By Toni McDonald
