‘Buzzing’ SailGP tinged with future uncertainty
Despite dolphins calling off racing on day one, and a cloud of doubt thick in the air that this could be the city’s final SailGP event, Lyttelton town was “buzzing” with activity and thousands enjoyed high-speed racing on home waters yesterday.
At the race village at Naval Point, boats dramatically collided, home team the Black Foils survived the carnage to bring home an event victory and over 20,000 fans were there to cheer them on over the weekend.
SailGP chief executive Russell Coutts even busted some moves, dancing front row at Shapeshifter’s curtain closing stage performance after slamming local officials for being too “restrictive” just hours earlier.
Meanwhile, in central Lyttelton that was a ghost town during last year’s event, business was instead up – more than 50% compared with a regular weekend at the local brewery. Albion Square was busy with viewers watching a dedicated bigscreen streaming the action. However, the word on everyone’s lips: Would New Zealand’s win be a bittersweet ending to Lyttelton’s last SailGP event?
“I was really disappointed to hear that we might not have it [any more]. It’s so good for the community, for Lyttelton, and for Christchurch. Just look at the atmosphere,” said Lyttelton local Rose Acton-Adams.
“I would be devastated for the kids,” local Peter Savage added.
Coutts wasted no time ahead of day two’s racing yesterday to double down, criticising the Department of Conservation (DOC), Environment Canterbury (ECan) and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke for having too much of a say and enforcing strict protocols on the event.
No racing was permitted on Saturday because dolphins were on the race course,
and Coutts put the future of the entire Kiwi leg of the event in major doubt reading out a long, uninterrupted five-minute statement on NewstalkZB before racing. He claimed there was “no balance in the decision-making” to abandon Saturday’s racing and local officials had been “extremely restrictive” in the lead-up to the event.
Fans expressed their disappointment at Coutts’ bleak public pronouncements.
Carol Osler, who travelled to Christchurch from the Bay Of Islands, said the suggestion of removing the event completely was “just not on”.
“It’s a real shame. There must be some compromise to come up with and that’s my polite version,” Christchurch local Kirsty Henderson added.
Christchurch city councillor for central ward Jake McLellan soaked up the event in person, and said he was not going to let Coutts hold the city ransom.
“It’s a good event but we can find others … This is a city on the up and I personally know of lots of events dying to come to Christchurch,” McLellan said.
Responding to Coutts’ attack, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke and DOC said they reviewed and provided input into the Marine Mammal Management Plan but neither had any role in implementing it or permitting racing to go ahead or not. “SailGP knew what they signed up for when they decided to hold the event within a marine mammal sanctuary,” Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke chairperson Mishele Radford said.
“SailGP knew what they signed up for when they decided to hold the event within a marine mammal sanctuary.”
Mishele Radford
Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke chairperson
Pulling the global event together with just 12 weeks’ notice was something to be proud of, and officials “want SailGP to succeed in our city” while also protecting native species, said ChristchurchNZ destination and attraction manager Loren Aberhart.
Happy punters were armed in facepaint, the sun was out, good wind conditions blew and “lots of people supporting” in a packed grandstand made for a great day, said local Cassandra Alexandre.
The Lyttelton Harbour Business Association was also “stoked to see the extra people in town”, with the new addition of shuttles this year to and from the event “proving a real success”, a spokesperson said.
“The town vibe has been buzzing compared to last year,” they said, aided by the free big screen in Albion Square and “much better” communication saying the town is open for business.
Business on day one of SailGP action had increased by more than 50% compared with a regulare Saturday at Eruption Brewing, said head brewer Scotty Calvert.
“Yesterday was off the hook … We were busy from breakfast right through to lunch and through to about midnight last night. It was fantastic,” he said.
Henry Trading store owner Maree Henry and FreshChoice Lyttelton owner Rob De Thier agreed the town had been much busier.
While the supermarket had been pumping with extra sales and had added an extra five shifts to its usual roster to cater for that, not many people were stopping “looking for a tea towel” while the action was on, said Henry, who closed up shop early to watch the racing herself.
“We are hopeful that the challenges that the SailGP event organisers have had can be resolved for next year [and] we will welcome the teams back and look forward to growing the event with them,” the Lyttelton Harbour Business Association spokesperson said.
Home Team New Zealand got a warm, loud reception from the crowd after beating France and Canada in the final, slightly tinged with some uncertainty in the air around the event’s future.