/world sport
(CNN) -- Team New Zealand has seen two key members of its team defect to rival America's Cup syndicate Oracle.
Team New Zealand in action during the last America's Cup.
Sail designer Robert Hook; and the head of Team New Zealand's sail loft Craig Phillips are departing.
Hook was right-hand man to chief sail designer Burn Fallow, and Phillips took care of the team's day-to-day sail operations and maintenance during the Amerca's Cup series off Valencia in 2007.
Although New Zealand is blessed with many first-rate sail-makers, the pair's departure will be a blow. The U.S. syndicate will now be privy to many of TNZ's design ideas.
Oracle hired crew member Jono Macbeth last year, and TNZ boss Grant Dalton confirmed about a third of his team are on the market having been laid off while the cup remains in limbo due to court action.
South African and German syndicates that sailed in the last cup and had entered the 33rd edition, on the provision it went ahead in 2009, went bust during the week.
Although court action was pending they could not hold on any longer. E-mail to a friend 
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