A new low.

[Battleship 100]

Emirates Team New Zealand told to stay away from an America's Cup meeting in London next week?

 

http://www.livesaildie.com/team-new-zealand-stay-away/

 

In the high school sandpit that is the 35th America’s Cup, it seems that Team New Zealand have been told to stay away from a meeting in London next week.

[Romany 162]

Interesting this one. I watched with surprise how little comment there was on this forum, where normally - someone has something to say about it.

 

Does anybody care about the organisers latest dribble or are we just over the whole thing?

 

I like the Americas Cup - admittedly not so keen on the 'wallet race' that it has become (although it would be interesting to know what the ordinary man thought about the spending of a hundred years ago and also how, relatively - that spend compares to the current cost to compete).

 

Good on ETNZ for saying nothing.

 

I've no doubt that when it comes time for the entry fee to be paid - if ETNZ continue to be in the game - Oracle will accept it, despite their recently reported cold shoulder.

[PaulR 3]

Over it until they have a venue & time. Until then all is marketing and legal squabbling, knot sailing at all.

 

Perhaps if Oracle / cup holder organisations have a massive failure commercially if all challangers could agree to stay away, but have some racing some where else, a simple rum race with minimal costs, use existing boats; have mono & multihull events.

 

The last AC was definately at higher hull speeds and foiling to windward as well!! the nose dive and that one "almost ETNZ capsize"; but was the racing any better? Reviewing the ETNZ decision to tack and nearly capsize is interesting because dipping and being on starboard for the next crossing is what most of us would have done, given hindsight and 100% slow motion planning. I really enjoyed PJ's analysis and video replays of the last AC.

 

I still think the gybing battle with Paul Cayard blowing those green kites

within inches off the stern of the leading boat was a more interesting situation all be it with slower hull speeds.

 

Still it's hard to have an Oracle party if nobody turns up

[Guest]

I think I'd have to agree with Paul. As fasinating and fast as the new boats are they are a bit sail by numbers and lack the sailing skills and the crash bash of heated battle of AC's past. It seems the Oatleys thought the same as in the press releases they do mention they wanted to get sailing skils back to the forefront and didn't see that happening next time.

 

Going 40 thousand bastards is good but it certiany doesn't mean good racing. As Paul said it's damn hard to beat watching 2 boats racing hard out 40ft apart while rolling down big waves in 25kts of wind while the foredeck unwap the busted kite pole from around the mast and the cockpit crew try to drag a crew member back on board. Also it's hard to develop a good race in 25 min long made for telly sprints.

 

It'll be interesting to see how it pans out next time but I think we are only in for more popcorn racing. I'm sure it's the way of the future with the on coming 30 second attention span generation so maybe Team Lazza are just a few editions early in their desire to make the AC a soundbite.

[Atom Ant 0]

Bit like rally driving perhaps? The new all wheel drives are totally cool, but in the old days of Anglias and mk1 Escorts, rally driving was awesome!