BBC SPORT | Other Sport… | Sailing | Alinghi secure America’s Cup win
First off, there isn’t anything American about the America’s Cup. Second: the event has sucked ever since it left Newport, RI and the stewardship of the New York Yacht Club. Three:Â the boats suck. Bring back 12-meters. The Cup became a joke the year Dennis Connor decided to defend it in a catamaran. If you want to watch exciting sailing, check this out:
“Alinghi won the America’s Cup to become the first European team to defend sailing’s most prestigious prize.”The Swiss syndicate beat Team New Zealand in a nail-biting seventh race to seal the best-of-nine series 5-2.
“Alinghi finished two seconds ahead of the Kiwis after SUI 100’s sail fell off and left them at a standstill.”
The AC is in a state of complete and total disarray…
my biggest gripes
– No nationality requirement ( a “Swiss” boat with a team made up of italians, kiwis, americans etc…) – representing a country with no Ocean access ?
– The boats are horrendous to look at, and are basically big carbon drums with sticks and sails
– The whole thing is a corporate pissing match
– The venues lack excitement – give me a bunch of 12 meters racing around in SF Bay!
Some things I liked about this round
– Fleet races…very exciting
– Move able venue – they raced in Malmo, Trapani and Valencia
– The technology that tracks the races on TV gets better and better
But at the end of the day, you are still watching sailing on TV…which is about as much fun as womens golf
Well, after all Switzerland has well known beaches… and seas… huh… no… that was Bolivia. No, wait… Afghanistan?
Bottom line is: Kiwis always win (like in Rugby) even when they represent Switzerland.
The only thing that interested me of this edition was: a Friend of mine was involved in the development of the mast of the winning carbon drum.
I guess you can look at it all like the “formula 1” of sailing, where the “things” competing have little to do with the “things” people can buy; a sort of test ground for things (improvements luckily) to come in the future.
Now I duck for cover before a Cotuit skiff bangs me in the head.
Having observed the America’s Cup (personally and professionally) since the early 70s there are a few things I say with utmost certainty:
— Sailing is not a spectator sport. There is nothing more exciting than participating in a race either at the start, on the weather leg or screaming downwind. There is nothing more boring than watching it, particularly on TV.
— Nationalism is good for the event. Back in the good old days it was boats representing countries which made it interesting. The winning boat this week had an American helmsman, a Kiwi tactician and a Swiss owner. This year I rooted for New Zealand simply because the boat was filled mostly with Kiwis.
I’ll take the Figawi race any day – or week