Stormy waters lap up to the city of sails

Inside Lines

Dateline: Auckland

The worry is palpable, tension is rife. You can all but smell it in the air around Auckland Harbour and every day that passes the reckoning draws nearer. Next year, New Zealand will defend the America's Cup, the yachting contest which is the oldest international sporting competition. Since winning it in 1995 and defending it successfully five years later, the country, or at least this substantial bit of it, has been transformed. The emotional and financial investments in retaining it once more are immense. Conservative figures estimate that it generated some NZ$620m last time it was staged here and will easily match that this time. Their huge desire to win again is reflected daily in the stories emanating from Auckland Harbour. Paranoia abounds. Last week, for instance, it was brief but big news that Chris Dickson, New Zealand skipper of the challenger Oracle Racing, had been fired. A day later, it transpired that Dickson was merely at home looking after his pregnant wife. Dickson is central to another story – a potential scandal – involving fellow Kiwi, Sean Reeves, who was part of Team New Zealand when they won it last time. Reeves left Team NZ for one of the American crews, One World Challenge, taking with him several sailors and designers. But he fell out with One World and was then sensationally accused by Dickson of trying to sell him the syndicate's design secrets. That story rumbles on. Team NZ, meanwhile, maintain an outward air of confidence but know the competition is strong. "The country will lose it one day, we know that," said TV New Zealand's sailing correspondent, Martin Tasker. "It's fairly important it's not this time."

The long shadow of a giant national hero

If money and jobs are two reasons for the importance of keeping the America's Cup here in New Zealand, the figure of Sir Peter Blake is another. It is impossible to overestimate his standing in this country and the population is still in shock after his murder two months ago by bandits who boarded his yacht in the wilds of South America. It was, of course, Blake who led the team which first won the coveted trophy for New Zealand, whitewashing the great ogre, Dennis Conner, in San Diego. The cup is still housed, splendidly but almost anonymously, in the bar at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club. It was Blake who had the vision to redevelop the run-down and derelict harbour area for the event and persuaded the government to put up the cash for it. The results, as he predicted, have been staggering. He was simply the most revered Kiwi of them all, a prophet with all the honour he could ever require in his own country. "When we heard about his death it was as stunning as the 11 September terrorist attacks in America," said one observer of events. "There is a real will to honour his memory by winning that cup again."

Parore caught Nevin bowled Hadlee

A banner at Eden Park yesterday proclaimed "Parore is from heaven, drop Chris Nevin". Adam Parore has split New Zealand cricket by his decision not to play domestic cricket after being dropped from the national team for the one-day series. It has put in doubt not only his hitherto secure place in the Test side but also his whole international future. It is an open secret that there is no love lost between the singular Parore and the chairman of selectors, Sir Richard Hadlee. But in paying tribute to Parore's record, Hadlee pointed to a dilemma for wicketkeepers of the future, one that may affect England. It may be asking too much, he said, for one man to do both one-day and Test jobs.

Super 12 started two nights ago amid acrimony and fears its time may be over. When it first started in the early Nineties it was seen as the model for leading rugby union into the professional age.

Twelve regional teams from New Zealand, South Africa and Australia – compete in a league which leads to a four-team play-off. Auckland Blues, winners in the first two years, kicked off the season with a storming 60-7 win over Wellington Hurricanes on Friday night. Its detractors see it as a quasi-international club competition for the TV age. Traditionalists here bemoan the effect it has had on provincial competition. Now the country's boards have fallen out. New Zealand refused to accept plans to give Australia and South Africa an extra team because they were unhappy about the expansion without restructuring the calendar. TV will call the shots but few are willing to predict the future, not least because crowds are slipping. Auckland City Council has loaned NZ$2.2m to Eden Park Trust for a new playing surface where Blues play. The club couldn't afford it. Eden Park's capacity is 48,500, last year's average Super 12 attendance was 19,333 – and this in a land where rugby is still king.

Bill English, the recently appointed leader of the opposition National Party here, is a country lad who wants to be seen as having the common touch.

He was seen last weekend doing a paper round in Wellington. It was not, we are assured, a typical politician's publicity stunt. English's son had a ticket for New Zealand's one-day match against England and was determined to watch the game – but the round still had to be done, so step forward the loving father.

Exit Lines

The only thing worse than losing is spending another f***ing day in your country. Colin Montgomerie to American golf fans after being heckled during defeat in California... We're out. We're dead. Rhona Martin, skip of the gold medal-winning British women's curling team after defeat by Germany in their final pool game... I can't see me doing it that often in the future. England cricketer Paul Collingwood after his match-winning bowling spell against New Zealand... It was just a routine draw. Rhona Martin on the last throw of the stone which won the gold medal in Salt Lake City.