Over 4,000 onlookers gathered at Auckland’s Viaduct Basin yesterday to catch sight of HRH Queen Elizabeth II during her recent state visit.

The Queen was accompanied by Duke of Edinburgh and was given a guided tour of Team New Zealand’s base. Some of the syndicate’s most closely-guarded secrets were on show including carbon fibre components by design chief Tom Schnackenberg. The tour was concluded with an inspecting of NZL-60, the team’s most recent Cup winning boat.

Following the tour, the Royal party boarded a RNZYS Navy launch, for an inspection of the Viaduct Harbour which included passing in front of the GBR Challenge base. Here the entire British Syndicate, led by Peter Harrison, stood on the bow of GBR-52 and hailed their sovereign with three cheers.