New Zealand Challenge
| New Zealand Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Career | |
| Yacht club |
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron ('87) Mercury Bay Boating Club ('88-'92) |
| Established | 1987 |
| Nation | New Zealand |
| Team principal(s) | Michael Fay |
| Yachts | |
| Sail no. | Boat name |
| KZ–7 | KZ 7 |
| KZ–1 | KZ1 |
| NZL-20 | NZL 20 |
New Zealand Challenge was a sailing team funded by Michael Fay that challenged for the America's Cup three times between 1987 and 1992. New Zealand Challenge was the first team from New Zealand to enter the competition.
New Zealand entered the America's Cup competition in 1984, when Marcel Fachler, a Belgian then living in Sydney, entered as a challenger following Australia II's victory. Later the campaign's director, former government minister Anthony "Aussie" Malcolm, brought in Michael Fay to help organize and finance the challenge.
The team made use of former US 12 Meter Enterprise (now registered as KZ–1). The 1986 12 Meter Championships were staged off Fremantle as a precursor to the America's Cup event to be held a year later. KZ 7's sister boats KZ 3 and KZ 5 competed, with KZ 5 finishing runner-up behind the Bond Syndicate's Australia III, which was the comfortable winner. The boat finished ahead of the New York yacht club entry America II, a considerable achievement that made the sailing community stand-up and take notice that the New Zealand challenge was serious.
KZ 3 and KZ 5 had been built identically and information gained from racing KZ 3 and KZ 5 went into the planning of KZ 7. All three were designed by Farr Yacht Design, and comprised the first successful efforts of Bruce Farr in America's Cup Racing. Skippered by Chris Dickson, the crew included: Brad Butterworth, Ed Danby, Simon Daubney, Brian Phillimore, Mike Quilter, Tony Rae, Jeremy Scantlebury, Kevin Shoebridge, Andrew Taylor and Erle Williams.
In 1986 off Fremantle, Australia, KZ 7 was the most dominant boat in the Louis Vuitton Cup rounds robin competition, winning 33 of 34 starts. In the Semi's she swept French Kiss 4 races to nil, and reached the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals, where she lost to Dennis Conner and Stars & Stripes 87.
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