Flight controller Blair Tuke, grinder Guy Endean and performance engineer Nick Hutchins were in an America’s Cup quiz against the school’s pupils, and somehow, the pupils were edging ahead.
When Tuke asked how much they were paying the cup’s custodian, Norm Newton, to give them the correct answers, the children did their best not to rat on him.
However, one pupil crumbled under the scrutiny and blurted out "300 [dollars]", eliciting a wave of frosty glares from his classmates.
Mr Newton denied receiving any money, and would not answer to accusations of whispering some of the answers to the pupils.
The quiz was part of an America’s Cup Trophy experience, which the school won by entering Genesis Energy’s competition to see which New Zealand school could show the greatest amount of support for Emirates Team New Zealand.
Principal Adele Lidgard said the school built its own replica AC75 yacht out of cardboard, and created dozens of red socks.
As well as winning an opportunity to meet the team members and see the America’s Cup up close, they also received $3000 of science, technology, engineering and maths equipment.
Ravensbourne School was one of four schools across New Zealand to win the prize.
Genesis schools general manager Jenny Burke said science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) would play an important role in children’s futures.
"Bringing members of the team and the America’s Cup trophy to schools is a great way of inspiring the next generation of Kiwi innovators and getting them interested in these subjects."
