A Cup without spectators

[Above-the-Fold 15]

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 698]

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 244]

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 412]

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

[Rangi1 51]

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 267]

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

 

[Deep Purple 530]

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 69]

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 412]

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 375]

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.

[Above-the-Fold 15]

But to my point... is there no pressure to find a roadmap that could let some tourists in for the event, in the hope of recouping at least some of the millions spent on it?

 

M

[1paulg 22]

3 hours ago, Above-the-Fold said:

But to my point... is there no pressure to find a roadmap that could let some tourists in for the event, in the hope of recouping at least some of the millions spent on it?

 

M

Its looking as though the only possibility there is some Aussies but  everyone else is most likely to be watching on international media. Probably the best outcome is that Team NZ retain the cup and rehost again in a relatively short period ie 2 years -hopefully by then the shambolic state of affairs that is currently downtown Auckland  may not be so embarrassing!

[Romany 163]

I like that as a notion - but I'd add, all boats in a 'parc ferme' situation in NZ for the interim period. No alterations permitted, or if there are, every team is able to review/redesign a common component of the COR's choosing (i.e calling all teams calling all teams, there's a window of 8 weeks and you may alter your appendage/control system/thing-a- me whats it. Go for it and then submit design to ensure measurement is compliant) then it all gets wrapped up again.

And, come back again next winter for 12 weeks training, then hold another early summer pre regatta. say Nov 2021 followed by the  LV Cup in Feb(they still involved? I dunno but you know what I mean) then the match late March 22.

Dreams are free huh.