09 Mar 2010 9:16 a.m.
The Louis Vuitton Trophy regatta gets underway on the Waitemata Harbour this morning, with eight international crews set to battle it out on identical Team New Zealand yachts over the next two weeks.
Dean Barker's Team New Zealand is matched up against Paul Cayard and Team Artemis in the opening round.
Cayard is back on the Waitemata Harbour for the first time in a decade.
The last time we saw him, Cayard's America One team lost a hard-fought America's Cup challenger final against Italy's Prada.
About 45 minutes after racing finishes each night, the public can take part in the evening press conference, which will also be shown on the jumbo screen. The public will also have an opportunity to mix and meet some of the world’s best sailors and get their autographs.
The pairings for the first races of the day are: Mascalzone Latino Audi Team in NZL92 vs. ALL4ONE in NZL84, Azzurra (NZL92) vs. TEAMORIGIN (NZL84), Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL92) vs. Artemis (NZL84), ALEPH Sailing Team (NZL92) vs Synergy Russian Sailing Team (NZL84).