The party still continues down at the AMEX Cup Village. This weekend two major events are to be staged in the area the first being the National Dragon Boat Festival that goes all weekend while Saturday will see the arrival of the Variety Club Bash.

102 teams have entered the Dragon Boat Festival, resulting in a record 2 550 competitors. The racing gets underway on Saturday, however the finals start at 3pm Sunday and with the last race due to start at 5.30pm. For further information about the Dragon Boats contact Pip Fleming 09 378 2190.

The Variety Club Bash has currently being travelling through out the country and the 60 vehicles involved arrive at Waitemata Plaza in the Cup Village at 3pm on Saturday 18th March. All these fun vehicles and accompanying celebrities will stay in the area for an hour, with Simon Dallow welcoming everyone at 3.45pm. This will be followed by the presentation of funds raised.

We have now had more visits to the AMEX Cup Village than the population of New Zealand. In excess of 3.9 million visitors have been through the area since the 1st of October 1999 and with the crowds expected at various events this weekend it is quite likely we will reach 4 million by the end of the week. The final two weeks of the America’s Cup defence resulted in just over 580 000 visitors. With many of the superyachts still in the marina the Cup Village is still proving to be a major attraction.

During the America’s Cup regatta there was nothing but praise for how all the syndicates represented themselves in this country. Only this week we received a letter from the Auckland City Mission saying thanks for all the food that was donated during this time. They commented ”quite regularly various syndicates dropped off trays of beautiful food without any prompting. All the food went directly to our drop in clients and was greatly appreciated”, adding “It is so encouraging that even in the midst of competition, people remembered many Aucklanders less fortunate than themselves.”

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