The America’s Cup has the power to bring together people from many countries, puts a city on the world map attracting visitors - long after the event, and has been the impetuous for renewal and revitalisation of a waterfront leaving a long-term legacy for a host city. The extent of the benefits depends on the willingness of the host to fully embrace the Cup and on the competitors doing everything possible to help establish an exciting and vibrant event for visitors and locals.

One thing is certain, all past venues having experienced the benefits of hosting the Cup dream to see the return of America’s Cup competition to their shores, but thus far, only one venue has ever realised that dream – Auckland.  There are two Challengers who are now working hard to follow suit and return the 37th America's Cup to an earlier Cup venue; the Royal Yacht Squadron (Team INEOS) to Cowes, England and the New York Yacht Club (American Magic) to Newport, Rhode Island.

Let’s look at the past venues:

Auckland (1995-2003)

Team New Zealand’s win in 1995 saw Auckland set a new benchmark for the Cup by transforming a derelict harbour, known locally as the “log farm” for the storage of logs and derelict vessels, to create the Viaduct Harbour, which quickly become a new focal point and a destination for the City dwellers and visitors that continues today. It was this legacy and the economic bounty enjoyed by New Zealand that helped to ensure successive Governments supported future challenges after the Cup left New Zealand in 2003, even to the appointment of a Government “Minister for the America’s Cup”!

NZL 60 is welcomed back to the Viaduct Harbour after the first successful defence of the America's Cup outside of America.

Auckland saw two defences of the Cup, the first won by Team New Zealand in 2000 in New Zealand (NZL 60)  and the second witnessed the victory of the Swiss yacht club, Société Nautique de Genève in Alinghi (SUI 64), to take the Cup back to Europe for the first time.

Listen to PJ Montgomery commentate the last 10 mins of the last race of the 2003 America's Cup

Auckland was the scene of an number of Cup moments such as the near sinking of Young America in 1999, the close and exciting Louis Vuitton Cup Final between Luna Rossa and AmericaOne in 2000, a dolphin briefly landing on the deck of a French challenger during a race in 2002, the infamous troubles of the NZL 92 the Defender’s yacht in 2003, all watched by a mad-keen America’s Cup nation where even the taxi drivers would offer opinions on yacht design and racing tactics.

Take a tour around the Auckland region in the video below, and when the time is right, Auckland will welcome you for the 36th America's Cup Presented by Prada.