Nau mai haere mai, welcome to your newsletter.

In case you’d missed it, there is a yacht race happening on Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour today. In fact, the preliminary rounds of the America’s Cup have been going on for months now, but the final is, well, finally upon us. And while not all of us will be diehard fans, it’s hard not to be just a little impressed by the spectacle of these huge boats virtually flying on their foils across the sparkling waters of Tāmaki Makaurau, with the city and islands of the Hauraki Gulf in the background.

But, as Diane Brand explains, the America’s Cup hasn’t always been like this. For much of its history, races took place far from land and spectators, largely the domain of the privileged elite who could afford to care. That all began to change when the Southern Hemisphere syndicates began to win, and by making this latest contest so visible from vantage points around Auckland, it is now part of a long history of spectator-friendly regattas in the “city of sails”.

There’s plenty more to read here and on our homepage, including an important analysis of how climate change means some communities must begin planning a “managed retreat” from vulnerable coasts and hinterlands.

Until next time, mā te wā and all the best.