KEY POINTS:
The decision not to feature a waka at the America's Cup final was a mutual decision by New Zealanders.
Reports yesterday said Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli had refused permission for the waka to accompany Team New Zealand at the starts of the best-of-nine finals.
However, Team New Zealand said the decision was made by the team, Tourism New Zealand and Toi Maori (Maori Arts) and nothing to do with Alinghi.
Tourism New Zealand had contracted the waka from Toi Maori and it featured at the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series, accompanying Team New Zealand to the starts of their races.
The 16-paddler waka was left in Valencia in the hope that it would feature in the finals if Dean Barker's crew would get that far.
Grant Dalton, the managing director of Team New Zealand, said Toi Maori, Tourism New Zealand and the team had discussed the return of the waka but decided not to proceed.
"It was a decision jointly arrived at by the parties involved. Alinghi and AC Management (race organisers) had no part in it," Dalton said in a statement.
"At the back of the team's mind was the restrictions AC Management had put on the waka's operations before the start of round-robin one.
"Had the same sort of issues been raised before the start of the America's Cup it could have become a major distraction for the team at a time when we need to be focused on the racing."
Dalton said "it was great" having the waka at the start of the challenger series and that it was big hit with the public and the international media.
Team New Zealand beat Luna Rossa 5-0 in the challenger series final to earn the right to race Alinghi for the America's Cup starting on Sunday morning (NZ time).
Toi Maori project manager John Dow said the waka team were back home and since they had not heard further from Tourism New Zealand, they were not expecting to return to Valencia.
Yesterday, general manager of Toi Maori, Gary Nicholas told nzherald.co.nz that America's Cup management had halted the haka and waka.
He said organisers had said the stage overlooking the yachts leaving the dock was not strong enough to support a haka group.
He was also told that the waka could damage the yachts. "We had to accept that," Mr Nicholas says.
- NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF
