KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of messages to Team New Zealand:
Walter
We immigrated from Switzerland 17 years ago. Switzerland has great sportspeople, but not much to do with sailing. The cup belongs to New Zealand as a great nation of sailors. Go Team New Zealand - bring it back!
FG (Auckland)
Go Team NZ! Stay focussed, make it a blackwash and bring the Auld Mug back downunder! All the best for another clean sweep - you boys can do it!
Geoff
Go you good Kiwis. So much hard work to get to challenge for the AC. What an achievement. If we win 5-0 terrific, but if we lost 1 or more I hope the doomsayers and knockers keep their peace. In the end, the best team will win. History says it will be a decisive win or loss for us and if it's close, say 5-4, then that will be amazing. Of course I hope we win and bring back some form of the old rule that this is contest between nations. Guys, although you are not a national team it feels like it and it feels good to be a kiwi watching your guys in action.
Dianne Langefeld
Go Kiwis, bring the cup back to New Zealand. We have faith in you and know you can beat Alinghi. We only wish we could be there to personally root you on! We'll be saying our best wishes for you from San Diego, CA. every day of the race.
Dianne Langefeld and Roy Knoch
Shaun Yu
Skipper Dean Barker and the squad: May we wish you every success in bringing the much-expected America's Cup back to New Zealand. We believe you guys can do it. Whole of New Zealand is behind you.
All the best and good luck!
Hona (Sydney)
I think I'll begin with something familiar to New Zealand's diverse culture that makes us one. God defend New Zealand particularly, the brothers and sisters around the Mediterranean and South Africa. Go New Zealand. Kia kaha.
Pat (Canada)
Okay guys it's payday, you can do it, you are a excellent team who work fantastic together, you have a great boat, hope you have been holding her back, time to let her loose, go get 'em guys, I'll be watching on Saturday, "May the winds be blowing for ETNZ", Good luck guy's.
Ingrid (Kiwi in Atyrau, Kazakhstan)
Fly Kiwi's fly! Bring that Cup back home to Auckland. You guys deserve to win. There's no coverage on TV here but I am keeping track via the Herald and the official website and cheering you on. Go Team New Zealand.
Honest
I hope your boat sinks you bunch of tossers.
Len (Auckland)
So it's our Kiwis vs their Kiwis! Two equals battling it out! It all comes down to, "who wants it the most". Game over - Team New Zealand - you will win it in style, but it's going to be a battle from pre-start to finish!
Colorado Swiss/Kiwi
So what if Butterworth feels insulted. He wants to insult his country and sell out, then he got to be able to cop it. His good buddy Bertarelli and him are whinging about the nationality rule and how people will loose their jobs. What about the kiwis who lost their jobs because of Butterworth's action? Let's not forget all the kiwis who bought Red Socks so Butterworth can do what he wants to do. I am sure they felt insulted too. Anyway water under the bridge but while Team New Zealand kept their heads down and bums up, Team Alinghi started all this complaining again. Just get of the grass. I hope sincerely the better boat will win and may this be Team New Zealand.
Avon & Janet (Masterton)
The alarm has been set for 1am.
The bright red socks are on.
The flags are waving (our dogs' tails!).
The drinks have been chilled.
So have a Jolly good race!
From the Jolly's, Avon and Janet
The "go get em " goldies, McGregor & Cilla.
Nana & Pop (Kumeu)
To Team NZ sailing and shore crew, the best of luck, Kiwis can do anything. May the winds blow kindly for you.
Wellington
Dalton, Barker and team, congratulations on winning the Louis Vuitton Cup. We are very proud of your achievement in Valencia. All the best for this final journey of your dream. Bring the Cup back to New Zealand.
Jude
Go Team New Zealand. All of New Zealand are waiting for you to bring the cup home. We are all behind you!
Stowaway
So long as you don't need to use a bucket this time! Go hard!
Rosie (Hamilton)
Guys, that smirk on Brad Butterworth's face is gotta be motivation in itself. Let's see if we can wipe it! Bring it home!
Ali (Auckland)
Sail like there's nothing tomorrow guys. You've done the hard work. I've seen it in person at the gym, now just bring the Cup home for us to share in glory. All we can ask is that you do the best you can and have fun doing it.
Westie
To the entire ETNZ crew i.e shore staff and boat crew, good luck in the upcoming races. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Race fair and race well. Bring home the Cup. May the gods of the sea and wind be in your favour. Kia kaha.
Jo Otago
Hope you bring the cup home, but win or lose you'll always be winners to us Kiwis. May the winds be with you.
Henry Bolano
Congratulations on your wins so far. I've seen NZ in two America's Cup races so far, and I know you will win this one. God bless you all.
David Brown
Good sailing guys, all the best of fortune for the coming races and best wishes. Relax.
Th Rev (Cicero, New York, USA)
As a grandma with a sailing granddaughter now living in Wellington, we want NZ to win so badly it hurts. Leah and her family have been in NZ for 14 years and they are now real kiwis. We thank NZ for what has become a great love and life for her and for us all. This could not have happened in the US, certainly not in a sport still marked here by snobbism. New Zealand deserves to win because it breeds sailors who now compete in a world of champions bought and sold by millionaires. It is something like wanting a Kentucky bred horse to win the Kentucky derby rather than one owned by an arab king. All my best.
Matangi (Hamilton)
Bring it on home. May the winds be with you.
SMD (Wellington)
Give 'em a taste of Kiwi!
Brad
Go you black beauty! Bring it home for us, we are all behind you back home and know you can do it. Can't wait to see the 5-0 white wash on the front page!
Big Fan (Matangi)
Go Team go. Please make it a quick win. I have to work and staying up until 300am is tough. But ohhhh, it is worth it. Good Luck. Give it your best.
Pranil (Brisbane)
Go Team NZ. Bring back home the old mug and make us proud again to be a Kiwi all around the world.
Cheryl-Anne (Foxton)
Good luck boys. I will be with you at every race, cheering you all on. Go get 'em.
Calder Family (Melbourne)
A clash of two titans on a foreign shore, you are our sailing soldiers gone to war!
Do us proud and win that Cup, just beat Alinghi and show them up! Go boys, the Kiwi's of Melbourne are with you through every wave!
Goddy
Unite to win the America's Cup and bring it back home. Our prayers are with you. May Jesus walk before you. God Bless.
David Peppiatt
A Song For Ernie - sung to the theme tune of Dad's Army.
Who do you think you are kidding Ernie-Berti,
If you think the Cup's still yours?
Zillions of dollars that last time all it took,
Won't help you this time,
You're just feeding out the chooks.
Oh! Who do you think you are kidding Ernie-Berti,
If you think the Cup's still yours?
Brad-The-Cad still Judas clad is now a waste of space,
And Eddie boy, to our great joy, is King of second place.
Oh! Who do you think you are kidding Ernie-Berti,
If you think the Cup's still yours?
E-TNZ, according to the books,
Makes you a hack, not coming back,
You're just feeding out the chooks.
Oh! Who do you think you are kidding Ernie-Berti,
If you think the Cup's still yours?
Your carbon-fibre cuckoo-clock is sunk before the start,
In puffs of wind above 5-knots, the damn thing falls apart.
Oh! Who do you think you are kidding Ernie-Berti,
If you think the Cup's still yours?
Regards, David Peppiatt
On Behalf: Te Whanau O Aotearoa
Perth
As an Aussie observer I rate NZ's cup chances very highly. I'm hoping for NZ victory so that the next event will be held in Auckland. Maybe then an Aussie challenge will eventuate, because the Oz involvement since San Diego has been pathetic.
Chris (Tauranga)
I just want to wish Grant and Dean and the rest of Team New Zealand the best of luck for race one of the America's Cup regatta. I've got my money on Team New Zealand bringing the Cup back home put the Swiss away boys best of luck. Kia kaha.
Evan and Dorothy Murray (Birkenhead, Auckland)
Looking forward to a few nights of non-sleep which will have been a treasure when we bring back the Cup. To all our boys we send our very best wishes for a brilliant sailing exhibition with a 5-0 routing of Alinghi.
FrednDorothy Auckland
We and respective family members are just so proud of you guys and your success, your conduct and camaraderie is what Kiwi's are renown for. If you finish second, you will still be winners in our household. If first, there will not be a shortage of water here. Go Grant, Deano and the team.
Sue & John (Jamaica)
Make us proud boys. Kiwis from around the world are with you
Phil (Ohoka)
Go Grant and the team. Kick Ernesto's butt so that 'Dirty Den' will return. Dennis Connor had passion and integrity for the sport unlike our Swiss friend who merely bought his team.
Ravi (Auckland)
Bring it back where it belongs. All the best.
Richard Brownjohn
Go Team NZ. I have been backing you guys since 1987!
Thomas
To Grant Dalton, Dean Barker and crew, also the whole support team. Congratulations on winning Luis Vuitton cup. Let's see more of the NZ teamwork beat Alinghi and bring the America's Cup back to NZ. Good luck.
Lady
Go the Kiwis, we know you can bring the Cup give them a taste of Kiwi. Yeah, I wish yous all the best. See yous in Auckland with the Cup. Yous can do it.
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