Homecoming fantastic for cup oldtimer

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

The first lady of New Zealand America's Cup history, KZ7, is coming home next week to join the cup circus.

The Plastic Fantastic has been racing in Italy and will return to Auckland by ship as a world champion.

New Zealand's first cup racer from the 1987 regatta in Fremantle has been on loan to Patrizio Bertelli, head of Prada - both the Italian fashion house and the America's Cup challenge.

Bertelli took KZ7 to this year's world 12m championships in Sardinia, winning the title for the first time in 12 years.

The boat is still owned by Fay, Richwhite and Sir Michael Fay asked that she be shipped home for the America's Cup celebrations.

Sir Michael will also be back from his home in Geneva to welcome Kiwi Magic when she moves into the New Zealand Maritime Museum on Auckland's waterfront in a week's time.

KZ7 will relive her glory days this summer - sailing in the Auckland Anniversary Day regatta in January and possibly joining the harbour dawn parade with the new-generation cup boats on January 1.

But Fay, Richwhite spokeswoman Michelle Boag says that will depend on how many of her original crew want to get up that early on the new Millennium morning.

The boat has been revived after some sad days, when she sat in a shipyard in Wellington. She was given a complete overhaul before being sent to Italy two years ago, and will get another touchup next week before going on display.