A Cup without spectators

[Above-the-Fold 9]

Well, there will be some, of course, but as things stand they'll all be locals, of limited benefit to the hotel, tourism, and hospitality industries. I would have expected, by now, to see some hint that those folks are pressing the government to give them a break and open the doors a crack, but a quick scan of the relevant websites turned up nothing. Waiting until after the election? Or is it Fortress New Zealand from now until eternity? Or am I missing some sort of groundswell? Seems to me that a lot of people must have been planning for a tourist windfall this spring and summer and now they ain't gonna get it. (Not that we would have been any help, what with living on the boat and shopping at New World, but still ....)

Personally, I'm resigned. Just bought a half face-cord of firewood and plan to cocoon from December to March with the laptop streaming race coverage while the winter howls outside.

 

M

 

[harrytom 265]

Is there any real interest in the cup?? If I happen to home,yeah might watch it but as for I must see nah.The glory days of it are over for me.

[chariot 133]

16 minutes ago, harrytom said:

Is there any real interest in the cup?? If I happen to home,yeah might watch it but as for I must see nah.The glory days of it are over for me.

That's how I feel. Not going to be a very good return for the dollars invested.

[Jon 145]

I think people’s attitudes will change when they see two yachts match racing at 50kts on a narrow track close to land

[Rangi1 22]

I can't wait to see them out there. They're all good teams, the boats are amazing I think. I used to be a sceptic, but am now fully on-board with the concept and the close-in race courses. Bring it on!

[ex Elly 51]

People said the same thing before Bermuda, and then everyone loved it.

 

[Deep Purple 219]

Races are 4pm till 6pm each afternoon. Usually a good breeze. It's going to be fantastic. 

I gave up on on-the-water watching in 2000 This event will be like the last one, pitched for TV. 

We had a great club evening in Whitianga with Jeremy Lomas and Clint Jones a few weeks ago. Clint owns Propspeed and developed and runs the camera boats. He had some great insights and ideas about how they will present the action. One of the biggest changes being the crews mostly out of sight - but they have that covered. He's pumped about it and all of us left feeling the same way.

[darkside 18]

I remember the build up to SF and rich mans sport, not interested blah blah blah. Then when it happened interest went through the roof. I watched that one live, one day on the water the rest on Marina Green or thereabouts. Excellent atmosphere and better viewing from the shore.

Bermuda was fantastic TV, perhaps the visual sporting event visually I have seen.

For this one no idea if it will be worth watching on the water. They will have to keep the spectators a long way back for safety I guess.

Will they just use one race course come cup time? If they swap with little notice it will annoy a lot of shoreside punters.

[Jon 145]

Courses will be setup at Midday. All but one will have 4 yachts marking the corners with long tubular orange inflatable socks hoisted up the rig. Spectators will not be allowed Inside this box. Also the whole area will have a 5 knot speed limit 

[Clipper 195]

And im pretty sure the course to be used is picked the evening before as well.

Quite the undertaking to get the stakeboats (Yacht marking corners), marshall boats, big orange boundary buoys all sorted, well before race time.