Photo: G. Fitzgerald

A lot can be learnt about the America’s Cup experience, not just about boat design but about kiwis. I am proud Dean Barker and his crew did not crow too early and did not complain at the end. There is nothing harder than falling from a great height, so to carry this off with such aplomb is to be commended. Where New Zealand and the America’s cup goes from here is another story. The boat race was always about rich men racing rich men, it was never about countries racing counties – this aberration was introduced by New Zealand. If the New Zealand government continues to invest public funds, the funding will need to increasingly be seen as a marketing cost, enabling the name of our country to be seen in the global markets. Viewed this way, value was definitely provided. However, it does leave me wondering to what extent other global marketing opportunities are assessed, invested and reviewed from a NZ Inc. perspective? And whether this information is publicly available?