AMERICA'S CUP

[Zeida]

GO ORACLE! Tremendous win today!

[Jim_B]

I was very disappointed that my cable broadcast went down just as race 9 was starting (Comcast/NBCSP). I had to follow via Twitter feeds and YouTube discussions from around the world where the YouTube wasn't shut down. It sounded like 2 exciting races. Now I have to wait for the videos to be released.

[Zeida]

Dont miss the Sunday's races. Pretty exciting stuff!. Oracle won one, NZL won one. IMHO Oracle is superb boat, but the Kiwi crew has much more depth and experience than our younger crews. The boats are just about even, in design and speed; the work of the crews, tactics and strategy wins or looses. In any case, the racing is thrilling!

[ronkberg]

Hi Zeida, I fully agree with your assessment of yesterday's races. I also have to give credit to the great video coverage that shows how challenging sailing these multihulls actually is. The other details about the course layout and how the boundary lines effect the sailing and how the current is flowing. I can always explain how the sail wash can effect the following boat but the video coverage and explanation is so detailed and exciting that even non-sailors can get into the action. Watching these monsters flying down wind is amazing and just those small wings holding them above the surf.
Where are the rudders?

Although the odds are against us keeping the cup in the USA, I hope we can pull off a few more wins.

I would put down some serious $$ just for a ride on one of these fantastic sailboats. Can't imagine sailing along the Maine coast at 40-50mph........YIKES what FUN!!!!


Ron

[Dean Abramson]

This has been incredible! For anyone just tuning in to this, a summary:

The Americans were penalized 2 races for some infraction before the races even began. First boat to get 9 wins wins. USA starts at minus 2.

The Kiwis dominated! It looked like a runaway. It was at the point where NZ needed only one win, and the Yanks 6.

And now the Yanks have won 5 straight! Or maybe it was even more than that. Zeida can straighten me out. Anyway, now it is tied up.

Tomorrow is one race for all the marbles. If you have not seen these 70-foot cats go 50 mph yet, you owe it to yourself to do so!

NBCSN. 4pm Eastern Time, Wednesday. Your TV listings probably will say that a variety of canned shows are on then, but really, barring bad weather, the race will be on. I am DVRing everything on NBCSN from 4pm to 7pm, just to make sure.

CHECK IT OUT!!!!!

Dean

[Zeida]

OMG !!!!! WHAT A THRILLING RACE DAy TODAY! ORACLE Team USA won both races -AGAIN- with a superb boat and superb crew work. But the second race of the day was the real thriller! Both teams are now even, though in reality, Oracle has won two more races than Team NZL but because of the old, unfair penalty, they had to forfeit two of those wins. So each team has 8 wins. Whoever wins tomorrow's race, wins The CUP!... and there are "no seconds" GO ORACLE TEAM USA!

[Steve Laume]

The Americas Cup defense has finally become high speed match racing. During the eliminations it seemed like the boats were not well matched and were basically just drag racing around the course. These finals are different and very exciting. Pretty amazing to see helmsmen jockeying for the start and playing bumper boats with multi million $, 72' race machines that weigh only slightly more than a Cape Dory 30. The finish times are now separated by seconds instead of min. And to dig out of a hole as deep as the Americans were in is pretty unbelievable. With the momentum Oracle has now, it seems the Cup is destined to stay here. Today should be good but the fat lady isn't singing just yet and any thing could happen.

When watching all those guys grinding away at the pedestals, I believe they might need me on their design team. I don't know if it is tradition or some other reason that keeps these guys working the winches with their arms but it seems wrong to me. I believe all they are doing on these boats is generating hydrolic pressure. They could easily find a bunch of cyclists who could out power these guys any day of the week all day long. Not only would legs supply more power but they could be much lower in the boat with fairings for better aerodynamics. So why are they still standing up, hunched over and trying to generate power with some of the smaller muscles in the body?

I would love to have all those current arrows displayed on my chart plotter in real time.

Damn those boats are fast, Steve.

[Zeida]

Can't wait until 4 pm today. AC Cup time! GO ORACLE! Thanks Larry Ellison for your love of sailing, your vision for the sport and for making this incredible event possible.

I don't like baseball, boxing, football, soccer, car racing or most of the other "big name" sports. As a sailor, I enjoy the beauty, ability and opportunity of being at one with nature on a sailboat offers me. I also enjoy golf. To be able to watch sailing at such an incredible pinnacle, is for me, awsome. The design of those cats, the technology involved in creating and building them, and especially, the crew work is fantastic. In my own tiny, very small way, I know I am part of the same group of people, those who enjoy the water, the challenge of working, participating and understanding nature. I love my Cape Dory, my beautiful good old boat, and the moments we share together, some quiet, some a bit more exciting, she and I. But watching these races at the other extreme of our sport, is sooo much better than Master Card... PRICELESS!

[Jim_B]

Over the last few races the boats have become more tactical at the starts - reminding me of prior cups. This series has finally developed into true match racing. And the broadcast graphics are great and help put a perspective on the race. It is amazing how quickly a 400M lead can be cut to zero with a poor jibe....

Go Oracle - and more importantly - Go Sailing!

[nosara]

The Cats are awesome but a Cape Dory is much better on the eyes.

[Zeida]

CONGRATULATIONS ORACLE ON YOUR MAGNIFICENT WIN of THE AMERICAS CUP!

[drysuit2]

That's it. CD26 for sale. I want a foil. Maybe a Moth? I don't think I'll be able to afford the AC Cat. I'm a few million short.

[Russell]

When they start using sailboats again, rather then airplanes, I will get more interested.

[Sea Hunt Video]

When they start using sailboats again, rather then airplanes, I will get more interested.

I cannot express my feelings any better than Russell's comments.

[Steve Laume]

When they start using sailboats again, rather then airplanes, I will get more interested.

I wonder if that is what the crusty old sailors said after boats started planning?

This is a closed circuit kind of sailing. Kind of like Formula One cars but somewhat slower and much bigger. It is exciting to watch anything race at this level. Could they make an ocean crossing like a real boat? No. But they are still fun to watch, Steve.