America's Cup

[Peter Kozup]

Geez, I thought for sure I'd see some comments about the America's Cup today. What are people's thoughts about it, aside from what almost everyone seems to agree upon, that they need to go to national crews. Enlighten us.

[wingreen]

Yeah, national crews would be nice, but not so nice as requiring the participants to HAVE A COASTLINE!!!

[Dean Abramson]

I thought that the final race was amazing! I had been away, so I had some catching up to do on my DVR, but then I wound up watching the final until 2:00 am last night.

I felt bad for TNZ, because I agree with the commentators that it seemed that if they had waited until they were right at the line to do the penalty turn, the boat's momentum might have won them the race. By my guess is that Alinghi would have still won the series.

I enjoyed watching the races, but I had some issues with the TV coverage. I can remember past Cups when Gary Jobson was explaining things to the uninitiated, and he was great. But I felt that this broadcast team seemed to assume a knowledge of racing and rules which I, and many others, just don't have. There were many things I just did not get, even though I do have a rudimentary understanding of the rules. For example, on beats, they often mentioned the upwind boat getting dirty air from the downwind boat, but never vice-versa. I don't get that, and would like to have had things like that illustrated better.

Another problem is that right at the time of key maneuvers, they would switch from a nice overhead view, where you could see the boats' relative positions, to a tight shot of crew work. The tite shots are great, but often, it would make it hard to follow the actual moves. Or they would reverse camera angles. That was particularly true on the third leg "dial down." It is a basic cinematic no-no to all of a sudden have your action going in the opposite direction! I wish they had shot lots of tite stuff, but then showed it only on replay after the boats had made their moves.

I thought Tucker Thompson was great, and Andy Green's enthusiasm was infectuous. Craig Hummer made a decent anchor man. But I thought that Peter Isler was awfully critical and smug for a guy who had just recently had his own ass thoroughly kicked.

You wanted comments? That's comments. It was quite fun to watch. It would be a lot more fun if there were nationality rules, and defenses had to be in the home country. Either defend the Cup in Lake Geneva, or bar land-locked countries from competing.

What would really be great is if Michael Moore would do a movie about today's Americas Cup.

Question: if this is all named after the yacht "America," why is it not called the America Cup (no s)?

Dean

[Dave Jeffery]

This event proved the worth of a DVR. Whizz through the endless commercials (although the misplaced one for cleaning the copper residue out of your rifle barrel had a certain weird appeal), most of the commentary, and the windward legs after the start and first crossing.

National crews? Maybe a good idea, but since Kiwis were in the majority on both boats, didn't New Zealand really win after all?

[Clay Stalker]

There has been some discussion recently about whether it makes sense to go back to something like the 12 meters for the America's Cup. I for one think this would be great, along with requiring national crews and competitors with a coastline. Doubtful this will ever happen as, when big money gets into play, all kinds of factors are involved that really don't have much to do with sailboat racing.....look at professional sports....

Anybody who has seen the 12 meters racing around in Narragansett Bay in recent years would agree that it is quite a sight, beautiful craft and more than enough boat for even the most fussy CEOs!!!!

[Bill Cochrane]

Question: if this is all named after the yacht "America," why is it not called the America Cup (no s)?

Because it's possessive, not plural, i.e. "America's Cup" as in the thread subject. And it shouldn't be the America's Cup, it's just America's Cup.

Or The Auld Mug if you're really traditional.

And yes, I agree that the Kiwis won...they were most of the crew on the Swiss boat. Although their (Alenghi)'s helmsman was an American....

Either defend the Cup in Lake Geneva

Rumor has it that the syndicate wanted to. The deed of trust (is that the right title?) for the Cup dictates that the regatta be held on the sea, or an arm of the sea.

[Parfait's Provider]

So can someone explain why TNZ's penalty turn wasn't simply a 270 degree turn rather than two opposite 180s that required the momentum of the boat to go from clockwise to counterclockwise? Seems to me that had to cost them a few seconds, just coming to a halt and turning back. It seems to me that even a complete 360 would have been faster. I guess they didn't practice that maneuver.

If I had made 1/2 the mistakes in that final race, I would have been back by 30 minutes; both those Kiwi crews are very good.

[Zeida]

My comments: The most controversial AC victory I've ever seen. Seems everyone and their mothers were rooting for Alinghi, so that the Cup would not go down to NZealand, due to sponsors' pressures. Most unfair. I also thought the penalty on TNZ was unfair and biased in order to give Alinghi the victory. The same bunch of umpires gave green flag to TNZ during the start in one of the previous races, with much LESS water between both boats, but then, they were under pressure to get a race going, so they were not about to start the race with a penalty. So Dean Barker had in his mind that for something similar, he got a green flag, not yellow.. and went for it again... except this time, the umpires called the penalty. TNZ should have protested, even if only for the record. Also, how can anybody in their right mind tell which boat hits an invisible on-the-water line one miserable second before the other? TNZ, on the pin end, was on that line too, at the same time. They just wanted to give the race to Alinghi. I think the Kiwi boat was just as fast, the Kiwi crew on TNZ extremely courageous, with lots of heart and as good as the Alinghi crew.

The comentators were already crowning Alinghi from the third leg on... and Alinghi almost blew it thoroughly at the end... but that is also part of the game, like when we blew up the spinnakers on TNZ. I think syndicates will be knocking each other out trying to sign up Terry Hutchinson, tactician on TNZ. Dean Barker and his Kiwi crew will be very competitive in the next Cup.

And if in order to keep the AC races as exciting as this series have been, with those incredible sailing machines, then I would not mind hiring professional crews from whatever country they may be, just get the best sailors. It is a huge treat to see sailing at this level... and it may not be the same if only sailors from one nationality were allowed to compete in their country's boat. This sport, as many of the others, can only advance and move forward to this level of excitement as Ellison and Bertareli say: with the help of the big sponsors... and that is the reality. Sure, the 12-meters were beautiful to watch... so were the old Cape Horners and limejuicers ... but that was another era... I hope the next Cup is in two years time and NOT in Valencia, those winds there were non-existent... only came up in two races!

I also think some of the most critical angles of the TV cameras were inadequate, going for close ups of the crews, instead of letting us see the boats maneuvers... But that is probably because the TV directors calling the shots, may have known about directing TV, but not about sailing races! However, all in all, this entire Louis Vuitton series, the round robin eliminations with all the different countries participating, and the final AC races themselves were some of the most exciting racing I've ever seen. And I would still say... GO KIWIS!

[Sea Hunt]

TNZ fouled Alinghi near the windward pin on the second windward leg and was required to do a 360 degree penalty turn. As strange as it may sound, under the AC rules, when TNZ rounded the windward mark, it made a 90 degree turn, reducing TNZ’s penalty turn to 270 degrees. Near the finish line (but not near enough), TNZ tacked, initially went head to wind, and then for only a second or two allowed their mainsail and jib to fill in on port tack. This procedure, again under AC rules, completed the remaining 270 degrees of the penalty turn. TNZ then swung back through irons onto starboard tack and slowly, ever so slowly, crossed the line 1-2 seconds behind Alinghi.

Now, as they say, a little “truthiness” please. The above is not my judgment or analysis. I participated in our weekly Saturday race clinic today. 3-5 knots early, gusting to 13-15 briefly during a lightning storm (headed for the docks). Our boat came in last in both races. The above analysis comes from a professional racer who spent 20-plus years competing in Italy and Europe with/against many of the crew members on many of the AC and Louis Vuitton race boats. We are fortunate that he was born in Miami and has now returned to Miami and teaches and coaches at the local sailing club where I go for Saturday race clinics. He believes TNZ made a mistake in swinging back through onto starboard tack after doing their remaining 270 degrees. Even though they had already done 90 degrees of the 360 penalty, he thinks that, given the new wind direction, it would have been faster to allow momentum to carry the boat through a complete 360 turn and then just cross the finish line. A professional skipper and crew can do a 360 turn in a very short period of time. TNZ lost precious time when it was basically sitting in irons for a few seconds before momentum swung the hull back down toward the finish line.

As for the penalty, Zeida, while I tend to agree with you (but remember I am a tadpole sailor), this professional racer is satisfied the penalty was legitimate. He points out that TNZ did not even suggest they might protest the penalty call. Given the high stakes, if TNZ thought they might have won the penalty challenge, they surely would have filed a protest on the penalty call.

This guy says to look soon for Paul Cayard to be named as skipper, etc. of a very prominent team. He will be paid close to $10 million for his efforts Also, in all probability, the AC will be defended and challenged in Valencia again.

[Parfait's Provider]

Thanks for the analysis from a pro. I am beginning to think that TNZ forced itself into irons because Alingi was supposed to win the race to satisfy the sponsors and save the European venue. Save just giving up and not doing the penalty turn, that is the only way they could lose .

Yes, I like conspiracy theories, there are too many conspiracies for there not to be theories.