KEY POINTS:
Before this week it had been nearly six years since Russell Coutts, arguably the greatest sailor New Zealand has produced, had been at the helm of an America's Cup yacht.
In that sense the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, which begins in Auckland today with the first day of official practice, is not only responsible for getting sailing out of the courtroom and back on the water, but also Coutts back on board a Cup yacht.
He plans to enjoy the experience while he can.
Once the Louis Vuitton regatta wraps up next month, who knows when Coutts will next get the chance.
With his syndicate, BMWOracle Racing, engaged in a drawn out legal battle with Cup holders Alinghi, the future of the world's oldest sporting prize is uncertain.
But for Coutts, his future in the event is even more uncertain.
Should the Golden Gate Yacht Club's appeal next month fail, then the Oracle skipper will find himself once again excluded from an America's Cup event.
Coutts was prevented from taking part in the last regatta in 2007 after he and Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli fell out.
And the Swiss billionaire has already made it clear Oracle will be banned from taking part in the 33rd America's Cup, if the judges side with Alinghi next month, a situation Coutts describes as "quite simply ridiculous".
"Frankly I think it is very wrong for one of the competitors to be able to exclude other competitors - either individuals or teams," he said.
"If I was racing in the America's Cup and excluded one of the top competitors and won it, it just wouldn't feel the same. I certainly like to race against the best there is and that's the test, that's the challenge - you're measured against the best opposition in the world."
Oracle's gripes over Alinghi's proposed rule changes for the America's Cup regatta have been well-publicised over the last 18 months and with a final resolution just around the corner, Coutts is reluctant to rehash the arguments. He is more interested in how to ensure the prestigious event is not held to ransom again.
The America's Cup rules for each event are governed by the holders of the Auld Mug. As with any game, if you control the rules, the game becomes a little one-sided.
The format may have worked back in the 1800s, when the event was a friendly challenge between countries to prove who had the best sailing vessels and the finest sailors.
But the America's Cup has gradually been corrupted by money and power.
"I think one of the discussions could be how to stop this type of situation happening again ," said Coutts.
"I don't think anyone really wants it, it's an interesting thought process to go through and say how do we avoid this situation?"
Coutts has some pretty firm ideas on what is needed to stop the America's Cup continuing along the downward spiral, beginning with appointing an independent group to manage the event.
"What you need is the two parties to mutually consent to independent management. Having the thing managed under one roof is probably a good thing. It doesn't seem to work having one of the competitors manage everything," said Coutts.
"I've spoken to a few people about it, I think everyone can see - well, most people can see - that something is needed and it needs for the two sides to agree on a structure."
But Bertarelli isn't likely to share his enthusiasm for an independent governing body, and so far getting the two sides to agree on anything has proved a rather tall order.
However, Bruno Trouble, the founder of the Louis Vuitton series hopes the Auckland regatta will in some small way help get the America's Cup back on track.
Aside from the obvious, Trouble said one of the reasons he decided on the name "Pacific Series" was in the hope the regatta will bring "peace" to the world of America's Cup sailing.
It's an ambitious goal, but Coutts isn't discounting the possibility.
"It's got to help doesn't it? You know, getting people back on the water, getting people back in a sailing environment, competing against each other and talking to one another, that's what it's all about."
