New Zealand Gets Victory Without Witty Comeback

SAN DIEGO — We’ve seen more reaction after a day of hanging wallpaper.

There they were, those New Zealanders--call them crazy, call them zany--winning their second sailing race in a week, then immediately packing up their sails and heading for home.

The Kiwis won the second race of the International America’s Cup Class World Championship Sunday, after a victory Thursday in the Pre-Worlds regatta. Saturday’s third-place finish established New Zealand as the second-place team in the overall points standings.

So where’s the pomp and circumstance, where’s the hoopla, where’s the emotion ?

Peter Montgomery of Radio New Zealand explained the no show of feelings as “part of our natural psyche. There’s no emotion at all. You just do the job.”

Quite a contrast from the Italians’ display Saturday, after Il Moro di Venezia--Italy-15 is the boat New Zealand trails in the standings--took first and second.

No reason to psychoanalyze the New Zealanders’ reactions or jump to the conclusion that they don’t care. Kevin Shoebridge, the Kiwi’s team captain, seconded Montgomery’s explanation.

“It is a cultural thing,” Shoebridge said, “part of sport in New Zealand. We’re happy, no doubt about that, but we don’t show it the way other people do.

Bowman Nick Heron, you remember Nick--the guy who played down the notoriety that went along with spending quality time at the top of the mast Thursday?

Heron said not to discount them for appearing to be party-poopers.

“After the welcoming ceremonies, the other syndicates had their own little shows after they were introduced,” he said. “We did a little wave and off we went. In that way, some may look to us like we’re not quite into the fun spirit, but we’re here for a long time . . . Something may come along.”

Until it does, New Zealand’s objective will keep its nose to the grindstone.

“It’s only the second race of the World Championships, and the America’s Cup is still seven months away,” Shoebridge said. “It’s nice to win, but the big goal is miles away from where we are now. There’s not too much excitement at this stage, because it’s pretty much strictly a business operation. We’re trying to get the best boat on the starting line for the America’s Cup. Those other things really don’t help you win that much.”

New Zealand takes its sports etiquette cues directly from the All Blacks, the nation’s world championship rugby team.

“They are the biggest sports thing in New Zealand by miles,” Shoebridge said. “It’s a pretty rugby-mad country.”

Damage control would be considerable if an All Blacks team member ever danced in the end zone, a la the Cincinnati Bengal’s Icky Woods, the “Icky Shuffle,”--an act that has since been outlawed in the NFL.

“If they did, we’d stop watching them,” Heron said with a laugh.

Yet the veil of seriousness may be starting to lift, thanks or no thanks, to Western influence.

“It’s slowly starting to turn that way,” Heron said, but only in limited circumstances. “A couple of guys give each other hand shakes, but it’s not much more than that.”

If New Zealand’s winning ways continue, expect more of the same from the Kiwis.

“You have to keep it relaxed and calm as much as you can,” Shoebridge said, “otherwise, your performance might suffer. The best thing on the boat is to have your wits about you.”