Asked this week if Auckland should again host the America's Cup, five-time winner Sir Russell Coutts, a part-time Wakatipu resident, said: ''Why not have it in Queenstown?''
Sir Russell said land-locked Switzerland, which he won the cup for in 2003, could have hosted the following regatta.
And this year the cup broke new ground with a qualifier in Chicago, where Lake Michigan became the first freshwater venue in the event's 165-year history.
That lake was much bigger than Lake Wakatipu, but Sir Russell said the modern format was for racing to be held on tight circuits, close to the shore.
The course need only be 2km-3km long, ''so you could set a course easily''.
''You don't need much width, either.''
The Dunedin-raised yachting great - now event authority chief executive for the 2017 America's Cup in Bermuda - was a big fan of lake sailing, especially for learners.
''You get a hell of a lot of wind changes/wind shifts''.
Lakes were a good platform for sailors to learn the direction and speed of the wind on, he said.
This Saturday, he is bringing his O'Pen Bic youth sailing programme to the Wanaka Yacht Club, in conjunction with former Team New Zealand team-mates Barry McKay and Hamish Pepper.
In January, he will also have a hand in running Bic regattas in Dunedin, Wanaka and Queenstown.
Auckland-based Sir Russell, who built a home on the Crown Range about seven years ago, said he and his family ventured down as often as they could.
''My two boys [15 and 10] are mad-keen skiers. That's their No1 sport. My daughter [13], she snowboards.''
-By Philip Chandler
