Emirates Team New Zealand's first move towards the next America's Cup - likely to be in San Francisco in 2017 - was to give a glimpse of the future today with the selection of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke as the newest members of the team.
They will be part of the ETNZ effort in fielding two AC45 catamarans in the next international campaign building up to the next Cup. But it is clear that the long-term intent is for the pair to become key members of the team - and not just in a sailing sense.
That 23-year-old Burling and Tuke (24) were chosen is no surprise; they have been building an ever higher profile as Olympic medallists in the 49er class and the pair led the crew that won the Red Bull Youth America's Cup last year - sailed between the Louis Vuitton Cup and theAmerica's Cup match.
They are also aiming for a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil and have been noticed internationally by other syndicates. ETNZ boss Grant Dalton was quick to recognise that, by 2017, Team NZ would be needing new
blood.
"We thought that in 2014, we'd have a better start than 2013 had a finish,'' he said, "and we thought we'd start with a positive message. This organisation needs to grow and change. We came up short last time and if we are headed to 2017 and San Francisco for the next America's Cup, we have got to develop new guys and talent - and particularly Kiwi talent and particularly in the sailing team.