LR no show for race 1

[rigger 47]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-spor ... Cup-opener

The America's Cup might not start on time after Italians Luna Rossa pulled out of Monday's opening race against Team New Zealand.

[Guest]

The sponsor is now getting involved and trying see if they can get the two boats race on Monday,

 

"Louis Vuitton's Bruno Troublé called Carlo Croce, ISAF President, asking him to press America's Cup Jury to rule before Sunday's race."

 

It will be interesting to see if they come up with a early decision.

[Guest]

And for clarity, Luna Rossa have not actually pulled out of Monday's race...

 

They have said they "might not" race on Monday.

[Guest]

And for clarity, Luna Rossa have not actually pulled out of Monday's race...

 

They have said they "might not" race on Monday.

 

Just in from vietchy

 

Grant Dalton just confirming to me, Luna Rossa def won't race on Monday... so Team NZ will race itself around San Fran harbor.. what a joke!

[Guest]

Press release

 

On Saturday afternoon Luna Rossa Challenge 2013 issued a press release stating it will not race its first scheduled match of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America’s Cup Challenger Series, tomorrow against Emirates Team New Zealand.

 

“This isn’t unexpected, but it's still disappointing,” said Stephen Barclay, the CEO of the America’s Cup. “It’s a case of won’t race, not can’t race.

 

“The people really hurt by this are the fans, who have waited for more than two years to see the first race in these spectacular AC72 catamarans.

 

“This is particularly disappointing considering Luna Rossa was out sailing on the race course on Saturday,” said Barclay.

 

The Luna Rossa statement reads: “As already informally stated in the last few days, Luna Rossa is waiting for the International Jury decision on its protest against the measures introduced by the Regatta Director.”

 

“What I don’t understand is they sailed today (Saturday), they say they will sail if they win or lose the protest, but they just won’t sail against Emirates Team New Zealand on Sunday,” Barclay said.

 

Emirates Team New Zealand will need to start the race on Sunday at 12:15 pm PT and sail the course to collect the first point in the Louis Vuitton Cup.

 

At Friday’s press conference, Kiwi skipper Dean Barker confirmed his team “will be out there, ready to race.”

[Guest]

Very wise move by Luna Rosa team.

 

Nobody races in an event when a protest is pending regarding a technical issue on a piece of equipment that may offer a legal/illegal speed and handling advantage,

 

LR are not the stirrers here. It is the AC organizing committee whom have allowed a rule change and not made a full determination before racing begins.

 

This all stems from the regatta,s rules and its governance with regards to regulations on safety and the defenders ability to manipulate the rules and people.

 

Grant Dalton and ETNZ should have done the same thing and put some real pressure on the organization to sort the protest before the racing begins.

 

Would you race, with a protest that effect you're boat and team pending, only to find that that race could be challenged if you raced with the wrong setup.

[Guest]

I may be wrong but I suspect the different approaches may be because ETNZ has commercial sponsors who want their pound of flesh, so ETNZ become sluts for the money. LR is privately funded and have the luxury of taking the moral high ground - otherwise I agree.

[Fish 0]

Alternatively, this can be considered a cunning publicity ploy by Prada.

 

Firstly we need to understand that the America's Cup is not about sailing, it's about the pageantry that goes along with the cup, the smak talk, bluffing, and brinksmanship, the Millionaires and their egos, the design innovations and the rule bending.

 

Now, its obvious Prada will get thumped by ETNZ right, they have a one boat programme and we sold them our first design. Now put yourself in the shoes of the Prada couple (the two billionaire sponsors), they dropped something like $100 mil on this and its not for charity, they need a return on their investment.

 

If they race tomorrow, the event will feature in the sports pages, might even make the top of the back page, rather than just a by line. If they don't race, the name Prada is all over the headlines, significantly more media exposure for their sponsorship dollar. They sure as hell won't get the coverage for winning anything, and it just happens their is a nice little controversy they can take the moral high ground on while they are at it

 

Get their name out in the international media, add to the pageantry and not even get their trendy loafers wet - smart thinking

[SloopJohnB 322]

But will they race the scheduled races against Artemis and pick up the points?

[Guest]

I may be wrong but I suspect the different approaches may be because ETNZ has commercial sponsors who want their pound of flesh, so ETNZ become sluts for the money. LR is privately funded and have the luxury of taking the moral high ground - otherwise I agree.

 

Sponsors would relish the added drama of ETNZ adding their weight to Luna Rosa's stand. After all

added drama means added exposure.

 

I suggest that the elephant in the cockpit of ETNZ is the NZ Government stake. Not easy to play silly buggers with $30m of your fellow taxpayers money.

[Guest]

Good point.

 

So I just got out of bed - did they "not race".

[Guest]

I may be wrong but I suspect the different approaches may be because ETNZ has commercial sponsors who want their pound of flesh, so ETNZ become sluts for the money. LR is privately funded and have the luxury of taking the moral high ground - otherwise I agree.

Gezzz... was that brainfart posted prior to or after waking up?

 

Yes ETNZ did for fill it's moral, ethical and commercial responsibilities by starting. They didn't beat one yacht but beat about 6 fizz nasties.

[Guest]

"We’re a commercially funded team,” said Barker. “It’s important for us as a team, to our sponsors and followers in New Zealand to get out there and race. We trust that the International Jury will make the correct decision based on the information it’s got. The process is underway. Whether we sail or not isn’t going to influence that.”

[Guest]

Barker has got that wrong.

 

By standing by LR's decision not to race they have a huge ability to "change that!".

 

As for commercial. Well yes and no.

 

By accepting public money from the NZG they are a public Private JV.

ETNZ's "moral and Ethical! Compass is not just a commercial venture driven by advertising exposure but a compass that should know its "true North" and be ethical with regards to making a moral stand point against the sham that OR, the organizing committee and others have created with a superfluous rule change.

 

Barker is just a puppet for Grant Dalton and the commercial side of the event.

 

Remember, this team is supposed to represent NZ and what WE stand for too.

 

But I suspect the commercial interests come well before standing up against cheating, deception and commercial spin.

[Grinna 2]

ETNZ have been very careful all along to NOT say that Team Oracle or Iain Murray, or anyone else for that matter, are cheating or trying to cheat as a result of the last minute rule changes.

 

The 37 recommendations made by the committee headed by Iain Murray were made in the interests of ensuring the boats and crews were safe, but 2 of the changes require changes to the class rules and those changes can only be made with agreement from all teams. 2 teams don't agree and believe that Iain Murray has overstepped his authority by making the changes without unanimous agreement.

 

That is the basis of the protest.

[Guest]

Remember, this team is supposed to represent NZ and what WE stand for too.

 

But I suspect the commercial interests come well before standing up against cheating, deception and commercial spin.

Sorry but that's twaddle.

 

ETNZ were given the coin to win the AC, they weren't given it to be some sort of moral compass of NZ yachting.

 

Also being the only commercial team there if they start playing politics it will affect their chances of future funding.

 

Also if they didn't race can you imagine the uproar from Russell Shearer and Co about wasted taxpayers money. That would be nothing but negative now and should the AC come back to NZ.

 

Also if they didn't race what would the majority of taxpayers think. Don't forget most have no idea what all this wankery is all about and do genuinely think Coutts is a nice guy doing this for the benefit of yachting. So all they will see and be spun is 36 million knot fronting up, shame on ETNZ.

 

Also as we have seen IM is willing to change things almost at the drop of a hat, be that right or wrong, so what happens if something pops up and all of a sudden ENTZ found themselves 1 point short. What would the tax payers think then? It's OK as we were morally supportive of a some billionaires group wank feast? I serioulsy doubt it.

 

As it stood this morning ETNZ did the only smart thing they could do. At the same time Luna Rossa, which is funded totally different for totally different reasons, did what they thought was their best option and didn't sail. Looking at it and it is the worst outcome possible for the AC management and it was made that way as one boat arrived and one didn't. In doing that maximum exposure was obtained for the protest issue and the 2 teams respective backers, while at the same time chucking a very large bird at the people responsible for causing this clusterfuck.

[Guest]

Remember, this team is supposed to represent NZ and what WE stand for too.

 

But I suspect the commercial interests come well before standing up against cheating, deception and commercial spin.

Sorry but that's twaddle.

 

ETNZ were given the coin to win the AC, they weren't given it to be some sort of moral compass of NZ yachting.

 

Also being the only commercial team there if they start playing politics it will affect their chances of future funding.

 

Also if they didn't race can you imagine the uproar from Russell Shearer and Co about wasted taxpayers money. That would be nothing but negative now and should the AC come back to NZ.

 

Also if they didn't race what would the majority of taxpayers think. Don't forget most have no idea what all this wankery is all about and do genuinely think Coutts is a nice guy doing this for the benefit of yachting. So all they will see and be spun is 36 million knot fronting up, shame on ETNZ.

 

Also as we have seen IM is willing to change things almost at the drop of a hat, be that right or wrong, so what happens if something pops up and all of a sudden ENTZ found themselves 1 point short. What would the tax payers think then? It's OK as we were morally supportive of a some billionaires group wank feast? I serioulsy doubt it.

 

As it stood this morning ETNZ did the only smart thing they could do. At the same time Luna Rossa, which is funded totally different for totally different reasons, did what they thought was their best option and didn't sail. Looking at it and it is the worst outcome possible for the AC management and it was made that way as one boat arrived and one didn't. In doing that maximum exposure was obtained for the protest issue and the 2 teams respective backers, while at the same time chucking a very large bird at the people responsible for causing this clusterfuck.

 

 

[Guest]

Remember, this team is supposed to represent NZ and what WE stand for too.

 

But I suspect the commercial interests come well before standing up against cheating, deception and commercial spin.

Sorry but that's twaddle.

 

ETNZ were given the coin to win the AC, they weren't given it to be some sort of moral compass of NZ yachting.

 

Also being the only commercial team there if they start playing politics it will affect their chances of future funding.

 

Also if they didn't race can you imagine the uproar from Russell Shearer and Co about wasted taxpayers money. That would be nothing but negative now and should the AC come back to NZ.

 

Also if they didn't race what would the majority of taxpayers think. Don't forget most have no idea what all this wankery is all about and do genuinely think Coutts is a nice guy doing this for the benefit of yachting. So all they will see and be spun is 36 million knot fronting up, shame on ETNZ.

 

Also as we have seen IM is willing to change things almost at the drop of a hat, be that right or wrong, so what happens if something pops up and all of a sudden ENTZ found themselves 1 point short. What would the tax payers think then? It's OK as we were morally supportive of a some billionaires group wank feast? I serioulsy doubt it.

 

As it stood this morning ETNZ did the only smart thing they could do. At the same time Luna Rossa, which is funded totally different for totally different reasons, did what they thought was their best option and didn't sail. Looking at it and it is the worst outcome possible for the AC management and it was made that way as one boat arrived and one didn't. In doing that maximum exposure was obtained for the protest issue and the 2 teams respective backers, while at the same time chucking a very large bird at the people responsible for causing this clusterfuck.

 

... Very good argument there Knot me and hard to argue with.

 

I agree that they both have differing reasons for their stances.

 

I also think that the only way to fight poor regatta management, Defender manipulation and rule changes was for ETNZ to back LR,s stance. But you are right it would serve no purpose and another days sailing for ETNZ has to be better than sitting on shore talking mumbojumbo about a rule change that probably will not be fixed.

 

I do think that ETNZ can have a Moral compass for NZ and NZ sailing though. After all someone has to. ... and by sailing , I think you are right, this provides a moral compass of true north, and no throwing of ones toys from the AC cot.

[Guest]

I do think that ETNZ can have a Moral compass for NZ and NZ sailing though. After all someone has to. ... and by sailing , I think you are right, this provides a moral compass of true north, and no throwing of ones toys from the AC cot.

Agree they do have to have some sort of responsibility to try and stop all the wankery but it is the AC and the AC is synonymous with said wankery so they have to play their current game with all that in mind.

 

I reckon the best way they can do that is take the AC away from those Evil clusterfuck causing Overlords and bring it to NZ where they can actually make it the pinnacle of yacht racing with good fun boats sailed by the best of the best, something the AC has promised a lot and often marketed as but never really managed to achieve.

 

In the meantime ETNZ and Luna Rossa can sail away quite happily knowing they are morally correct with the protests, the actions they are taking and they have stable safe boats, something OR sure can't say and, at this stage, something AR can't even dream of.

[Guest]

What would be a fun class boat that would maintain the interest required for the best sailors, engage more countries, offer exciting match racing, advance technology and keep costs reasonable.?

 

Now we nave seen what the AC72 can do anything else may be boring, low tech, slow, and unattractive to sponsors.

 

Reducing cost will be difficult with so many creative accountants involved.

 

I think the event has snookered itself and has very few options for a new exciting boat design.