2017 America's Cup

        In our house, we have a lot of passion about sport, particularly when New Zealand is competing overseas. We love to see New Zealand winning, jumping out of our seats and cheering as they do. As can be expected, we quickly caught 'Americas Cup Fever' and were closely following each race. I just loved those boats, (or were they low flying aircraft), the way the foiled across the water. Would love to ride in one. Would be an amazing experience.
        Now before the owner of this blog gets on my case I better mention something about stamps. Yes, Allan, I did notice the six stamps on this miniature sheet. There is not much more we can say about the stamps other than that they show the Team NZ boat in action. The main photo in the centre shows the presentation for the cup to our team.

The America's Cup sheet, with six $2.70 stamps, was issued on the 3rd of July 2017. No first-day covers were produced.

1971 Special Events.

        The commemorative issues of 1971 were divided into a list of smaller issued that appeared over the whole year. I've tried to tidy them up by issuing them in three posts. The first is on the Anniversaries & Centennaries of 1971. The second is on Special Events of 1971. The third is on Three City Centennaries. 
         This is the 1971 Special Events post featuring three stamps issues, 1971 One Ton Cup in New Zealand; 1971 First Satellite Station in New Zealand; 1971  First World Rose Convention in New Zealand. Three interesting issues commemorating important events in the development of our country.

  

2011 New Zealand Experience

          In 2011 New Zealand Post issued this six stamp set to promote tourism in this country. New Zealand has a wide range of landscapes which led to an equally wide range of activities for overseas visitors. The focus of this issue is to get out there, to see and do, to experience New Zealand.

NZ Post says in their web site:-
          "New Zealand may be a small country but it has a whole lot to offer – from breathtaking scenery to adrenalin-pumping activities and a cultural experience like no other. And when you can drive from the ski slopes to the beach within 30 minutes, it’s easy to see why so many people flock to our diverse and picturesque shores. Take a closer look at the vast array of experiences to be had in New Zealand with the six gummed stamps in this issue." 

          Personally, I really like this issue because rather than just being postage stamps, it set out to promote New Zealand using six attractive stamp designs that show six highlights of a journey through this country.  We should be proud of our country and ready to get out here and showcase it to the world. Tell them what they are missing and they will come.

International Yachting.

       With the America's Cup races on at the moment I thought it might be an idea to go back and find if we can trace how New Zealand came to be competing with the USA for the cup. This blog is the story of New Zealand International Yacht Racing.


       New Zealand has had a long history of yacht racing. These two Health Stamps below show the sport of yachting and yacht racing, popular with both adults and children. Many people started as children in yachting classes such as the P-Class, then as they grew older progressed on to larger classes until they found themselves in what we call the blue water classes. These are the ocean going yachts and international competitions. 
       This has led to New Zealand being known all over the world for both the quality of its yachtsmen and for the quality of its boats. So wherever you find a international yacht race you are most likely to find a New Zealander in the middle of it. 

 Our Yachting Heritage.     

 

1946 - The Soldier (Yachts in the Background)

1951 - Yachting The popular Takapuna Class, training ground for many young yachtsmen.