Life slogged on as normal at the America's Cup following a public warning from anti-terror police after letters containing cyanide crystals and white powder were seized by postal workers.
Two policemen took time out from patrolling the stormy waterfront to play a match-racing video game at the Swiss compound, bartenders were pouring pints before noon and idled sailors raced remote-control, scale-model boats in front of the sheds that house the real sloops.
Poison letters
The threatening letters, addressed to the US Embassy and the British and Australian High Commissions in the capital of Wellington, referred to ``actions'' that could occur if Iraq was attacked. The letters mentioned the America's Cup races. Police said a small quantity of cyanide was in one of the letters, but wouldn't identify which diplomatic mission received that letter.
Enough cyanide to kill up to 20 people was sent in a threatening letter to the US Embassy shortly before the New Zealand golf open in January last year.
Police could not yet rule out the possibility that the latest letters were sent by the same person, as ``there are enough similarities to raise in our minds a link,'' said assistant commissioner Jon White, head of New Zealand's counterterror squad.
The powder in the three letters was tested for anthrax, but none was found, White said. A fourth letter containing white powder was sent to the New Zealand Herald newspaper in Auckland.
Yesterday was a scheduled day off at the America's Cup, which has been stalled for more than a week by uncooperative weather on the Hauraki Gulf.
Another rainy, gloomy day helped keep down the crowds at the Viaduct Basin, the inner harbor that contains the America's Cup syndicate row, a marina for luxury yachts, bars, restaurants and apartments.
Security at the America's Cup has been high since the nightclub bombing in Bali, Indonesia, on Oct. 12 that killed 192 people, most of them foreign tourists.
``This is just another reminder to keep that level of alertness,'' said Tony Thomas, executive director of America's Cup this year.
He said a threatening letter was received in late December, warning people not to go to the Viaduct on New Year's. Nothing happened.
``We're being responsible about it and everybody is working with police, but we still want people to come down and wave the teams out each day,'' Thomas said.
The next scheduled racing day is today, but the forecast is for strong wind.
Russell Wilson, 42, of Canterbury, was having a beer at The Loaded Hog late yesterday morning. ``A quiet one before I go to the airport,'' he said.
Alinghi leads
With strong wind predicted for the gulf, neither the Swiss nor Team New Zealand went out on the water. Alinghi has a 3-0 lead in the best-of-nine series.
Some of the Swiss crew, including syndicate head and navigator Ernesto Bertarelli, raced their remote-controlled yachts, using a small inflatable cow for one of the buoys.
Alinghi spokeswoman Veronique Teurlay said security was normal at the Swiss base.
In December, Alinghi received letters threatening violence against the families of some New Zealand sailors working for the syndicate. The team's large New Zealand contingent includes skipper Russell Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth.
Security guards have been seen standing next to Bertarelli, a biotech billionaire, as the Swiss boat is towed out to the race course.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that