Wonderland and a very important date

By JULIE ASH

In Wonderland it may have been, but for many guests at the America's Cup Ball it would have been difficult to escape the reality that the contest for the Auld Mug starts in six days' time.

More than 1000 guests attended the ball at Auckland's Government House on Saturday night, where the theme of the night was Alice in Wonderland.

Guests were treated to a four-course meal which started with a loin of Canterbury lamb and salad, followed by Chatham Island crayfish, before a fillet of beef on a potato rosti and for a finale, pohutukawa honey icecream.

For the sailors who went it was probably their last social event before race one on Saturday.

Skipper Dean Barker turned many heads with glamorous girlfriend Mandy Smith on his arm, as did New Zealand rower-turned-grinder Rob Waddell and his wife, Sonia.

Rival syndicate Alinghi were provided with 20 tickets for the evening which were divided up mostly among the syndicate's communication team.

There was no sign of former Team New Zealand sailors Russell Coutts, Brad Butterworth, Murray Jones, Simon Daubney, Warwick Fleury or Dean Phipps - a quiet night in before a big day out sailing, perhaps.

But syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli and his stunning wife, Kirsty, arrived, albeit fashionably late.

The Governor-General, Dame Silvia Cartwright, Prime Minister Helen Clark, Lady Pippa Blake, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sir Michael Fay were among the guests.

Television personalities Charlotte Dawson and Suzy Aitken were also there, along with Warriors chief executive Mick Watson.

With dinner ending close to midnight, many of the sailors were on their way home as the band kicked off ... but Team NZ head Tom Schnackenberg rocked well into the night.

The marquee at the Epsom mansion emptied out at 3am, leaving just seven more sleeps until race one.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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