The boats are smaller but there is still an America's Cup feel about the New Zealand match racing yachting championships starting in Auckland on Thursday.
Oracle's Chris Dickson and Team New Zealand's Dean Barker are the two big names going head to head over three days racing before the finals on Sunday.
Dickson says this championship is as good as it gets
and the principles of match racing are similar to the
America's Cup regatta.
He says it is much like a formula one driver jumping into a
go-kart for the weekend.
The match racing regatta begins at 9.30 on Thursday
morning.
Meanwhile, Dickson's BMW Oracle and his 38 strong crew has
set-up camp in Auckland until February.
The syndicate aim to prepare for next years America's Cup
in Valencia.
The crew skippered by Chris Dickson has brought just one boat with
a second boat due out after Christmas.
A practice racing series against Team New Zealand has been mooted
for January but is yet to be confirmed.
Dickson says it is ideal to race in New Zealand over summer.
He says it's good for his team to go racing and by January Team New
Zealand will be ready to play with someone else.
Team New Zealand turned down the offer to race Oracle before
Christmas.
