America's Cup: Team New Zealand's happy hangover

Emirates Team New Zealand crew embrace after defeating Oracle Team USA. Photo / AP

A pair of red socks lay discarded on the courtyard in front of the Team New Zealand base, while nearby a polyester Kiwi suit hung over the fence.

The sodden remnants were the only clue of the hearty, boisterous and at times emotional, celebrations that went on well into the early hours of the morning at the Emirates Team New Zealand base following their captivating America's Cup win.

Come 9am the next morning the pack down process of the base, which is really just an elaborate maze of tents and containers, was already underway. With the job they came to Bermuda to do having been nicely squared off, it makes the tedious task of packing up a little easier.

Soon Team NZ's footprint will be gone from the America's Cup village at the Royal Naval Dockyard, but their footprint can never be erased from America's Cup history.

Just what they have achieved in Bermuda still hadn't sunk in for many of the team this morning. But then not a lot seemed to be registering with some of the bleary-eyed crew members who arrived mid-morning for one final team meeting.

"I think a few a struggling a little bit," chuckled Murray Jones, who has experienced the most America's Cup victory parties of anyone, with yesterday's 7-1 rout over Oracle bringing up his sixth Cup win.

Jones, Team NZ's "man up the mast" in the Kiwi syndicate's first America's Cup win in 1995, said helping guide the young crew through the challenging Bermuda event was gratifying.

"For me winning this Cup is quite special, I started my America's Cup career with Team New Zealand in 1995 and 2000 and to come back right round the circle and win it again, is really rewarding," he said.

"This one felt the most similar to the 1995 campaign where we felt like we were the new kids on the block almost. We had a really, really strong sailing team at that time and we'd developed a really fast boat."

Jones has a fair inkling of what is coming next for the young members of the team as they contemplate returning to Auckland, where a welcome home celebration of unprecedented awaits.

Peter Burling, the unlikely rockstar helmsman who was cast front and centre of Team NZ's campaign, typically deflected any question of how he plans to deal with the elevated public recognition he is about to get back home.

Although he is a double-Olympic medallist, being at the helm of an America's Cup boat brings with it a whole new level of fanfare and attention.

"That's not why we do it, you know, we're here to sail a boat and try to bring a really unique sporting event to New Zealand. It was pretty surreal at the morning meeting this morning and to have the America's Cup sitting in the corner," he said, as behind him members of the team were still lining up to have their photo taken with the Auld Mug in the team's wing room.

Burling said he is looking forward to getting home and sharing the victory with the New Zealand public, whose feverish support continues to astound him.

"One of the cool things is we'll all be on the same flight home, we'll all be sharing it together just as we've battled here together as a team," said Burling

"A lot of us grew up sailing together, which makes this even more cool.

"We just can't wait to get home and share in the moment with everyone."