Team New Zealand Peter Burling and Grant Dalton hold the Auld Mug during the parade to welcome home the crew. Photo / Greg Bowker
Fans turned out in droves, from all over the country, to welcome the victorious Team NZ today. From kids taking days off school, to young women armed with marriage proposals, to those who remembered previous parades.
Here are their stories.
New Plymouth firefighter Neville Christiansen, 58, drove up last night with his daughters Milla, 25, and Claudia, 21.
The girls each wore a veil and carried a sign which read: "Marry me Pete/Blair 0800 Love".
Milla, who works at Taranaki DHB as an admin assistant, has taken three days off work to be here.
She has been a sailor since she was aged about 8 or 9 in lasers, but stressed the banner was "Dad's bloody idea" but she wouldn't say no to a date.
"They are around my age".
Their dad joked: "They've been at home too long, so would be nice if they met someone."
He added: "I'm a firefighter and my shifts worked out. But I had to be here anyway. I never missed a single race."
Ashleigh Haynes, of Hibiscus Coast, decided to dress up her dog Brio to make the trip even more festive.
He wore a red and black checked coat, red socks and had a New Zealand flag coming out of his pocket.
His owner was clad with a New Zealand flag cape.
"I decided on Tuesday to come down and I thought: 'I'm gonna dress him up'," Hayes said.
"Heaps of people have stopped to take photos with him, it's great," she said.
Barrie Baker was with his family including granddaughters Mia Baker, 8 and Kimberley Baker, 10.
They had travelled in from Te Atatu in west Auckland on his boat.
"I have a love of the sea and anyone who can achieve what team NZ have," Baker said.
"There was a lot we didn't see behind the scenes."
Brian Austin, of Mangere Bridge, was sipping on his coffee patiently waiting for the team to pass by.
The 77-year-old was at the last parade in 1995.
"We were at the top of Queen St and I remember seeing Sir Peter Blake - he was walking.
"The Cup was in a [see-through] case.
"This time round, he had travelled via train with wife Joy Austin, their son Luke Austin, and his sister-in-law Dorothy Woodward.
Kim Davies from Mt Eden in Auckland travelled to support Team New Zealand at Valencia in 2007.
She brought her daughters Holly Linstead, 7, and Lucy Rankin, 4, to the parade today to carry on that tradition.
Her mother, Barbara Davies from Takapuna on the North Shore was also there.
The family got up early to watch every race.
"I like Peter Burling but remember seeing boat builders working through the night so really admire them too," Kim Davies said.
Charlotte Waiariki has been waiting for today's parade since the moment Emirates Team New Zealand clinched the cup in Bermuda.
She was up at 5am watching re-runs of the races before making her way over to the city from Half Moon Bay to secure a spot right by the railing.
Waiariki said she loved the race "even though they thought it was a rich man's game".
Her pride stemmed from the humble way the team had performed, coming up against criticism here and abroad without losing their cool.
"It's just something to be very proud of," she said.
"It shows if you just hang in there and respect your leaders it works out."
Liz Kirk and her America's Cup fanatic husband drove with their two young children from Orewa this morning to secure spots right next to the the parade route.
The family had set up camp by Aotea Square with fold-out chairs and a home-made sign created by daughter Ella, 8.
"We've been following it right from the get go," Kirk said.
She and her husband, who was off with the couple's 2-year-old when the Herald spoke to her, were "over the moon" about the win. "It's so exciting," she said.
Brothers Eliezer and Micah Peehikuru, aged 9 and 12, were on Queen Stt early.
Micah said he was looking forward to seeing Peter Burling.
Asked whether he might be interested in taking up sailing one day, he paused and said with a smile: "Maybe."
Their parents, Maika and Melissa Peehikuru, also brought along baby Eliana, who turns 1 next month.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," their dad said.
"We came mostly for the kids to see the cup and just be part of history today."
Nicholas Mills, 12, held a sign which read: "Mum thinks I am at school".
The student from Churchill Park School in Glendowie, east Auckland, had a bad case of America's Cup fever, his mum said.
Lions supporters Jan and Sandy Wright from England were among the crowd.
"We are here for the rugby so of course we are going to come and celebrate with all the New Zealand fans," husband Sandy said.
His wife said the trip had been "absolutely fantastic".
"We have loved every minute of it. And I think the abiding thing that we will take home to the UK, is how friendly, welcoming and helpful everyone has been over here.
"When asked if he was nervous about the upcoming game, Sandy replied: "Not at all. I was here 12 years ago and I was embarrassed going into the last game. I'm not embarrassed this Saturday.
His wife added: "We are just hoping for a really, really good game."
Another Lions supporter from England, Ian Peters, was at the parade.
"It's fantastic day for you isn't it? A great accolade for you to win the America's Cup. It's fantastic. I'm really proud for you.
"I've been following it closely."
He was feeling confident about this weekend's game.
"We're going to win, we're going to win. definitely. very confident."
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