What the Kiwis need now is a distraction

If only June could come quicker. That will be the start of the America’s Cup World Series in Italy, which offers the opportunity to showcase elite racing. But in the absence of America’s Cup competition, the focus aims elsewhere.

While most of the AC news has come from Bermuda, which gives every appearance of being a small town desperate for recession recovery, the prominent Team New Zealand has been owning the media spotlight now for two weeks. Here’s what we’ve learned.

– Skipper Dean Barker has been moved out. Young blood has been moved in. Click

– Barker is not happy with being considered old. Anybody that is already old can relate. Click

– Barker and team managing director Grant Dalton are not mates. Barker’s outster has set their relationship back further. Click

– Billionaire Matteo de Nora, the Swiss-Italian who has poured millions into Team NZ, has given his full backing to the team and its administration. Click

– Bermuda is a bummer, seriously impacting the team’s finances and sponsorship funding, reducing the budget by some $20 million. Click

– Passionate Kiwis have lost some passion for the team. So has the Kiwi media. Click

What the Kiwis need now is a distraction. Will the French declare they lack funding to go forward? Will the mystery Asian team finally step out of the shadows? Will a Bermuda budget crisis boil over? Something, anything for the attention to turn away from the Kiwis.

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