KEY POINTS:
The man behind the 2003 Blackheart campaign says the ill-feeling around losing the America's Cup four years ago is water under the bridge.
Advertising agency chief executive David Walden says he is ashamed at reports of chest-beating New Zealanders jeering at their countrymen in the Alinghi squad in Valencia.
Mr Walden set up Blackheart to rally support for Team New Zealand, while showing disappointment over Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth leaving the team to become the driving forces behind a victorious Alinghi.
But that was the past, he said, and the country should harbour no animosity towards New Zealand sailors in other syndicates.
This week Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli criticised the behaviour of some New Zealand supporters, who he said were abusing the New Zealand members of his syndicate.
"I don't think Kiwis should jeer or boo at anyone," Mr Walden said.
"I've moved on, the country has moved on, the team is performing very well, and Russell is not at the regatta.
"Blackheart is dead and buried, as it was after that campaign. I haven't been besieged with people wanting to get Blackheart up and running again.
"The playing field is reasonably level [now] ...
"The sense back in 2003 was that it wasn't level because the team had been gutted.
"Russell and Co at the time were not so much seen as the architects of their own fortune, but the architects of Team New Zealand's misfortune."
Mr Walden said in great sporting occasions, there would always be supporters who took things too far.
"Obviously this is the sharp end of the tournament and I'm sure there are some fervent supporters - those who are outspoken and perhaps obnoxious.
"But I hope that doesn't happen because it's a fantastic sporting event and you don't want petty politics getting involved in it."
He suggested the furore came to be because the international media had a two-week lull before the challenge for the cup.
One New Zealander in Valencia said: "Every boat, every team gets hearty applause ... which is a lot more than an Auckland team gets when running on to Carisbrook."
