With the holiday break behind us, the team is hard at work on several fronts, especially Auckland with the arrival of USA 98 from the States Monday, and the imminent start of "Summer Sailing Session #2" in New Zealand -- two boating with 71 and 98.
Today our Auckland base also had a visit from 28 young German sailors who had been competing in the
420 Worlds across the Harbour Bridge in Takapuna for the past week. Sailing Team Manager Craig Monk (NZL) gave "420 Team Germany" a behind-the-scenes tour. The visit was the idea of former Optimist World Champ Tina Lutz (GER), who was a guest of BMW ORACLE Racing during Louis Vuitton Act 6 at Malmo in 2005. Tina’s father, Dr. Reinhold Lutz, is also with the German 420 sailors in Auckland and organized the visit. 420 Team Germany coach Gerd Eiermann also joined the tour.
The following pictures of just some of the action shoreside today at our temporary team base on Halsey Street in the Viaduct are courtesy of Captain Craig Christensen (NZL). Thanks, Craig, and keep 'em coming. We'll give you a new title -- the BOB's NZL Senior Correspondent.
Shore team member Nick Partridge (NZL) working on deck to ready USA 71 on an overcast mid-summer day in Auckland.
Master Chef Ben Harland (AUS) and a catering associate adding the finishing touches to lunch for the shore, sailing and support teams gearing up for the all-important sailing session ahead.
The 420 sailors who toured our base were reportedly in awe of their host, Craig Monk, who of course is also an Olympic medalist in the Finn Class and two-time America's Cup winner. Monkey took the sailors through the sail loft and gave them a close-up look at USA 71, the yacht that won the
German Sailing Grand Prix at Kiel last August, and answered many thoughtful questions.
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A gun-metal grey Oracle boat is perched on a cradle where Team New Zealand's boats once sat. ){kind=small}
