KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
Richard
To the international readers who are reading the comment section, please accept my apology for the way a handful of my fellow kiwi's are acting on here. Please know that we are not all like that, it really is embarrassing to see some of the comments made here, as a kiwi I am embarrassed by the hateful things some kiwi's have said but I know that the vast majority are not like this, so please don't judge the people or the country on a few people. Well done to the Swiss.
Jerry
Most of the time, you can either have winners, or nice guys. Kiwis, who seem to be the most emotionally immature people in the world judging from some of these messages, take pleasure in being nice guys when they are not winners, and conveniently ignore arrogance when they are. Butterworth and Co won a professional yacht race because they were more professional - end of story. Nationality had nothing to do with it, just as it had nothing to do with either team. In that respect Butterworth is great competitor and winner - and nowadays that is what defines a great sportsman. So wake up, NZ - you can rejoice in "punching above your weight" and coming second for the rest of your lives, or grow up and start winning.
Iro Puna
Yes, we should bring the cup Home.
N R (Auckland)
Of course Brad and Co are some of the world's best sailors and good for them. But good on Team NZ - they are equally as good, and they don't need to skite about it. The America's Cup is the highest sailing trophy in the world, and correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't it always been nation against nation? It's no different to having the best soccer teams dominate the world stage. Team NZ must challenge in the next Cup - it would be boring to see two European teams race each other in the finals! Yes it must be tempting to go for the money in Brad and Co's case, but its not just about him. This is about collective honour, national character, and fair sportsmanship, as the current Team NZ have obviously displayed. Go Southern Hemisphere!
Valenciano (Spain)
Almost nobody in Valencia knew much about the America's Cup four years ago. And almost everybody thought it a waste of money the investment made by the authorities. Well, it seems now that it was the real thing! So cheer up Kiwis, you are the best sailors in the world right now, and if the Cup has been so successful it has been for you. So come back and try it again. You have earned the respect of many aficionados here.
Ian C
Congrats to Butterworth who is a true legend. He rose above the shameful Blackheart campaign with dignity and skill and has now proved his genius beyond any doubt by successfully defending the America's Cup (even without the equally legendary Coutts). As a NZer it is always a shame to see the media bias against him but his recent efforts have been the best possible response to his detractors.
Jacqui
Alinghi might have won, but Team NZ had the more 'stylee' uniform. Alinghi looked like a crew of hospital orderlies.
Grunta (Sydney)
Yes, they did good, no they didn't win and a civic reception? Save that for the true champions. However the govt putting money in? Yes, I agree, if they see value can be gained then the govt should invest in any good venture. To give some perspective, my company pitched and won the production of a corporate event 2 yrs ago. We pitched Auckland (we are from Sydney) over Australian cities and the restaurants and bars downtown were a big draw. We had 400 people dining at the 'cup village' restaurants one night while there and spent over a million dollars in 3 days in Auckland. Publicity, tourism facilities, a vibe in the city and yes, jobs follow. I still have people in Australia say they will be visit NZ just because of LOTR - and do. Don't loose sight of the big picture, it may be rich guys racing but riches follow and NZ is right up there to win that cup again, maybe not this time but soon.
Guy (UK)
Time and again I am embarrassed to be a Kiwi. What a huge call some of you may think, but when I read these columns and begin to realise what a pack of bleeding hearted liberals, poor losers, whingers and generally stupid people some of us are I feel sick. ETNZ did exceptionally well and should challenge again, and as a platform to generate business and promote NZ, which pays for better healthcare and infrastructure, it is a sound investment for $10m. Compare that to what we pay on benefits to those who don't wish to, or can't contribute. Losing hurts, its meant to otherwise why would anyone try and win? We are fantastic sailors whether on TNZ, Oracle or Alinghi, Kiwis who bring that down clearly don't strive to be the best at anything. Mercenaries some of them? Hardly. Professional and top of their game would be a better description, whether we like it or not AC is a professional sport where Kiwis reign supreme so let's support all of them, but TNZ a little more of course!
Adam Frost (England)
Yes, I think the best boat did win - but only just! It was one of the most thrilling races to watch. Awesome competition from the New Zealand boat however they were just edged out by a skipper who was on top form again! Great to keep the trophy in Europe and yes I do think that team NZ should compete next time. It would not been the same. Still, it is a great feeling to beat the Kiwis. Just wish we could do it rugby, Cricket, netball etc!
Blair
The only thing the NZ government should be required to do is show a positive return on their investment. If they can prove that the increased revenue from tourism etc off-set the investment in Emirates TNZ then they have a winner. It is still incredible to see the tall poppy syndrome still runs so deep in NZ, even with globalisation. Butterworth did what was best for his career, just the same as so many NZers go overseas to seek better academic or corporate opportunities. Get over it! NZ had such a presence on both boats, we should be proud. Bigger concerns right now should be the governments lack of ability to reign in the dollar and house prices which is only going to end in pain and misery for all - wait for NZ to follow the US in a housing crash - the patterns are soooooo similar.
Michael (Switzerland)
As much as I can understand your disappointment, I congrat both teams for this exiting AC. This has been match-racing at its best! With Team NZ as one of the major players! So please don't bash any of your team's members, they have done all they could, and you can be proud of them in a good sense, nor bash the winning team, your fellow countrymen included.
C'mon Kiwis: Your national team didn't win the mug, but it was close. It showed a side of beautiful Aotearoa to the entire world. And how much Kiwis are capable. This is a lot for a small country, competing against bigger ones. Personally, I wouldn't write these words, if I didn't feel attached somehow to NZ. I have very good memories of a 3 months journey, some years ago. Meeting some very likeable Kiwis, they took me on a sailing tour to beautiful Great Barrier Island, for a week. The first time, ever I was on a yacht. Never forgotten it and great Leslie and Trevor from Auckland. Wishing them all my best, again.
James
How can it be one of the closest America's Cups in history when you lost 5-2? Big deal you lost the deciding race by 1 second, overall you were whopped!
Spain
All "kiwis" must be proud of their team, and should put an effort to stay at the 33rd Americas cup. It's been a pleasure to see you sailing. Well done and be proud of your job.
Hope to see you again in ValeNZia 2009.
Julian Smith
It's absolutely disgusting that the Government can give $10 million to a losing team when the Government "can't afford" $10 million to immunise all 11-year-old girls against cervical cancer.
Southernman
Butterworth, Coutts & co. are definite traitors. The money maybe fine now but ask them on their deathbed if they'd have done it differently. The people who talk of "professionalism" etc are shallow souless people. If you want to talk about professional and loyal sports people how much could Sir Peter Blake have made going to sail for another team? He even lived in England but still chose to sail for his country. We're talking rugby too, Jeff Wilson could have followed all the other ABs (Brooke, Fitzy, etc) to Europe for the big bucks, but didn't. He also probably could have moved to Auckland for more money, but didn't. These type of people are the Kiwi sportsmen that should be celebrated, not a bunch of turncoats. I'm not bitter, and wouldn't mind if they couldn't break into TNZ and had to go for a job, but they were key members in a team at the top of it's game and sold out for the cash. Shame on you Brad, shame on you Russell.
2young (Auckland)
Not bad Team New Zealand! The final was even more interesting than the rugby world cup semi final in 2003! The last few seconds were heart stopping. Sailing is no longer viewed as the boring, rather-watch-paint-dry sport by teens, it's so rapid and unpredictable! I believe the America's Cup captured the heart of the nation from the very first time we won it, who could ever forget Black Magic and the red socks campaign? I was 5 at the time, and still remember it vividly. I don't think we'll ever give up, but we need to have that loyalty and enthusiasm back again. I don't mind my taxes going towards the next campaign, the advertising NZ gets is worth it! Butterworth saddens me, he's an awesome tactician. We were unlucky to lose him, yet he cannot be called a Kiwi sportsman because regardless of his NZ passport, he turned on his own countrymen by going to Alinghi. I hate the fact money plays such a big role, maybe if they had fixed salaries for all teams, it would fix the problem. It's like football where the richest teams have the best players.
NZ should learn form their mistakes and not give up, do it for Peter Blake! 2009, here we come! :)
Expat Kiwi (USA)
Great news that the NZ government is backing another cup programme. New Zealand's profile has definitely been lifted by the live TV coverage here from Valencia. It's all positive and positions NZ as a high tech country to Americans, most of whom don't know what rugby is. Best comparison would be NZ competing successfully in Formula One.
Lyn (Kaitaia - where journeys begin)
Proud to be Kiwi, Team NZ Rocks.
Bring it on.
Kelly (London)
Don't listen to the whingers! As much as we would have loved TNZ to bring home the cup, we beat the world for the right to challenge Alinghi - a fantastic achievement in itself. The Team then threw the best they had at the Cup and lost on the day. No one can question their commitment. For those of you who doubt whether we should challenge again? It should never have been asked. When did we last win the rugby world cup and there is no questioning us having a go again? Team NZ made me proud.
Hans (Switzerland)
Even though the Alinghi team were a worthy opponent it felt like "underarm boling" tactics when Brad Butterworth tricked the team NZ into the penalty and thereby winning the race.
Ariel
I, like the rest of NZ am devastated that we lost the cup. After travelling to Valencia to cheer on TNZ and seeing first hand what an amazing team they are and what great supporters we have (that outclass Alinghi in every way). I can only feel proud to be a Kiwi. We have to remember that we won the Louis Vuttion Cup, beating all the other syndicates along the way and we held our own in the finals but were beaten by a better team. Team NZ are heroes and deserve a huge homecoming parade they displayed their best skills on the world stage. They are an amazing team and produced some of the most exciting sailing I have ever seen. Of course it is devastating to get that close and not to win but we have to realise we are not going to win everything and in today's world the return on investment is the winner and money has a major influence on who will win. We cannot rely solely on home grown talent. Let's not dwell on the negatives and what could have been, instead focus on keeping our existing crew and building on our experience and work out what we have to do to win the next one! Let's get out there and let TNZ know how much we appreciate them, we don't want to lose them!
Michael O'Sullivan
Brad Butterworth is a mercenary. He is not a Kiwi, he gave that up when he signed on with Alinghi. His nationality and loyalty is for sale to the highest bidder. Never accept him back for what he has done to NZ.
George (Singapore)
"I find the rugby reference pathetic! How many "All Blacks" are actually native Kiwi's? I'm English but my adopted country is Switzerland and fair play is the order of the day. You Kiwis remind me of the Scot's: bad winners and even worse losers!"
Actually Dave, all of them are Kiwis, just like Ashley Cole, Jason Robinson, Daley Thompson, etc, etc are English! My guess is you won't be flaunting your immature prejudices out loud in Glasgow or Auckland any time soon.
Loz (Sydney)
I never watched any of the Americas Cup in Australia, which is disappointing especially for a country so close to NZ. The real legend in this AC program is the NZ team supported by local professional yachties (rather than a team comprising every port of the world!). As we know, money dictates the AC program with sponsor image & hospitality being a priority. In my opinion, the only real consistent champion has been Dean Barker, a fabulous yachtie & ambassador for NZ at a worldwide level. Sponsorship dollars cannot compensate the media coverage NZ as a country has gained in Europe from this international event. Well done Dean & crew! Sorry a 1 second loss is as good as a win, at this level! Looking forward to the next America's Cup, go the Kiwis!
Murray
Yes the best team won the America's Cup. Should we mount another challenge? Of course we should. Fund it from Dr. Cullen's largesse currently distributed with gay abandon to the parasites and bludgers who have no intention of trying to achieve or work. And is Brad Butterworth NZ's best sportsman? No he is not. That title goes to New Zealander who finished second in the cup and who put country before dollars. Well done Grant, Dean and team. You did New Zealand proud, and are all admirable role models for our young people, (and some not so young). Kia Kaha!
Proud Kiwi
Brad butterworth is not NZ's best sportsman, in fact I doubt he knows the meaning of sportsmanship. The highest bidder is the only thing of interest to this man, so please don't insult all the other sports people in this country by implying he is. As for the government putting up 10 million dollars it should be six times that amount, all you people out there that go on about a rich mans sport and all the rest of the crap, you all forget one very important thing, no government or country or business could afford to buy the world wide advertising for their, country that this sailing event brings in, lest we not forget, the share volume of wealth it brings into the host country. $10 million dollars, well that's chicken feed. As for Team NZ, what they done in Valencia for themselves as well as for NZ, should be applauded, they raced and won against the best in the world to become the challenger for the 32nd cup, with determination, sheer hard work, and for the benefit of this country, well Grant Dalton and the boys are heroes and they deserve your respect, not the crap that is coming out, so they lost so what, they also won. Stop being so narrow minded and become a part of the real world.
Gianni (Como, Italia)
I am Swiss, living across the border in Italy. To Rick from Auckland I say your comments in relation to the Swiss and the Jews are disgusting. You are truly pathetic and you should be ashamed of yourself.
Goby
Why concern yourselves over a boat event? Lets get real New Zealand. As a country we are all sinking and heaps jumping ship for australia and beyond. You voted in a government that is slowly drowning us. I am no kill joy and am looking forward to the world cup but really no wonder we are known as sheep.
Patrick (Miami USA)
Tnz was great and fought with heart - but lost. Here in my (Sailing) Club nobody believes that tnz lost because of the Kiwis on the Alinghi. This is only one factor. Sailing is a team sport. Inour opinion the Alinghi team (teamwork) was better - despite 8 nations on the boat. I wonder why? I think 2 factors were decisive:1. Better Leadership and 2. Too much pressure on tnz1. Bertarelli as former owner of a large pharmaceutical company knows about leadership. Without such skills you will never reach great goals - e.g. the AC. I do not see such a leader in tnz only a bunch of excellent sailors - just not enough.2. Reading the entries in this forum,the pressure you Kiwis put on your team was tremendous. Some of you are not fans.....you are fanatics . I admire tnz for there fairness and discipline - even when they lost a race. TNZ gave me and my colleagues here in the club an impression about New Zealanders - a positive one. Some of us even thought about travelling to NZ. Might be a positive effect of tnz's participation in the race, gov money, etc, no?
Pidgy (Auckland)
I think it is much too early to decide whether Team New Zealand should mount another challenge.Let's let the dust settle as to what happened last night .After all Team New Zealand was first to the finish line, penalty or no penalty.Technically and skilfully Team New Zealand and Alinghi are equal, but do the New Zealanders on Alinghi have any loyalty to New Zealand ? The fans of Team New Zealand were in Valencia in droves, surely this answers who is the best team.
R Z z (Auckland)
Team nz are the best and champions of the sport in my eyes. They are a great epresentatives of nz, and a great team.Great races to watch, I was up every night cheering the black boat on. When is the next cup ? Because NZz is going to win.
truebluekiwi
One interesting comment to note from our news was "Why weren't Team New Zealand present at the presentation of the America's Cup? Which quite rightly, could have been seen as sour grapes on our part perhaps? Apparently, unlike in Auckland where the challengers and defenders were included to acknowledge both sides participation in the event...Quite simply, Team New Zealand weren't even invited to the celebrations and nor were Prada to the Presentation of The Louis Vuitton Cup..I'm sorry for that because New Zealand developed a very close relationship with Prada in the past America's Cup races and I feel they came almost as close to us as to representing a nation. Louis Vuitton say it best when they say "Of course I want Team New Zealand to win," he says. "This time, things are getting ridiculous. Last time in Auckland, the organisational costs of the America's Cup were 25 million ($43.7 million). This time, 250 million - 10 times more."Bertarelli's bank was also mentioned! 150 years of America's Cup history and the oldest sport and oldest prize in histoy...is it time it was ditched perhaps in favour of a Kiwi led initiative?
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