The inaugural NZ SailGP regatta will be a full one, with confirmation that all nine boats will compete at Lyttelton this weekend.
Organisers feared only eight boats would line-up, due to extensive damage caused by the storm that swept through the last event at Sydney, but all crews have been welcomed at a pōwhiri near the event base.
The world's best sailors arrived on a different kind of vessel, paddling a waka from Lyttelton Harbour to Rapaki marae.
"Quite a spiritial and emotional journey coming in here on the waka, and getting welcomed to the marae," said Canadian skipper Phil Robertson.
The pōwhiri wasn't the only tradition Robertson enjoyed.
"Ha ha, yeah... that was good crayfish."
After being cancelled last year, due to COVID-19, the event has been a long time coming for the New Zealand team.
"To finally have a home event, it means the world to us," said NZ SailGP chief executive Blair Tuke. "We've spent a lot of time representing Aotearoa on the other side of the planet."
Just last month, the event was under fresh threat, the Sydney storm caused extensive damage to the fleet, tearing Canada's wingsail to shreds.
"Interesting experience and pretty real experience, but, look, everyone's safe and everyone got away from the situation," said Robertson.
Even more remarkably, all nine boats in the fleet are fixed and ready to race this weekend, although the damage means they'll be forced to compete without the longer 29m wing used in extremely light winds.
"Hopefully, it turns on a nice breeze and we can rip around," said NZ skipper Peter Burling. "I think everyone that gets along and watches the action will absolutly love it."
Jopefully, the black boat's somewhere near the front.
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