America's Cup

[Zeida]

Sea Hunt: you should have loved +39, the Sicilian AC boat! They had an excellent boat, but the crew lacked time working together and were not too good on tactics, but their boat was indeed very fast! They will be back!

Hey, my great grandparents (on my father's side) are also from Sicily. they emigrated from there to the Canary Islands, where they became known as "the Sicilians" and changed their last name to Cecilia. From there, they continued to Cuba, where I was born.

[Dick Barthel]

My beloved Boston Red Sox may just do it again this year.

Don't we have another 80 years or so wait before it happens again?

[Bill Sonntag]

All the cultural hang-ups, tisk tisking over things not being like they used to be aside (its all true) - I've been watching the America's Cup elimination series races on VS tv channel, the boats are amazing machines, the racing crews best in the world, the starts are hair raising and the European television coverage just fantastic. Competitive sailing has a much larger audience in Europe and the quality of the television shows that. Too bad its not in HD, it would look even cooler. It was nice to see the home town favorite Spanish team take one from the Kiwis today.

Party-on BMW Oracle!

Bill Sonntag
CD 31 Surprise

[Dean Abramson]

I was glad to see the Spaniards take one too.

I record it each morning, then check it out after work. The starts really are tense. It has been very interesting. Oracle is behind the eight ball, and it would seem that Chris Dickson is getting out-strategized. Tomorrow is a lay day, but Oracle really needs to win on Friday, or it's going to be an uphill climb.

Check it out. Go Oracle!

[Sea Hunt]

On my local cable service, the Versus channel shows the races live from 0830 - 1100 hrs. They then repeat the 2 1/2 hour program in full again 2-3 times during the rest of the day.

If you don't catch it live at 0830 (like us retired folk ), there are additional times to watch during the day. Or, if you are electronically gifted like Dean, you can tape it on Tivo.

Today was rough for me. USA team/Italian team tied 1-1. I wanted the Italian team to win but I also wanted the USA team to win. For the next few days, I am either going to be happy every day regardless of who wins (the cup is half full) or I am going to be sad every day regardless of who loses (the cup is half empty). Such is my fate.

Dean you are right. Watching these races is amazing. The grace and balance of the bow guys is just amazing. When I took the J World class in Key West last month I spent a lot of time on the bow. Fortunately, no cameras. It was embarrassing. But I learned a lot. Amazingly, I see the crew doing a lot of the same stuff we did (or tried to do) during our class - only they do it with a lot more speed, agility, etc.

Fair winds,

[Dean Abramson]

I'm Italian now!

Dino

[Sea Hunt]

Hello "Dino":

Yes, the Italians did a terrific job. If I understood the commentators correctly, Luna Rossa led at every start and every mark rounding in all 6 races, even the one race they lost

I am sad for the American team. I have been reading about them "on line". They put everything they had into these races. It just was not meant to be this year.

Now, we will have to see whether it is the Kiwis or the Spaniards that "we" [] have to beat for the Vitton Cup and the right to go against the Swiss. Does Switzerland even have a lake large enough to sail on

Fair winds,

Roberto