The America's Cup.

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I haven't mentioned this before, too scared after 2013 in San Fransisco when we were one win away, and in one of the biggest come backs in sport saw it taken from our grasp.

I guess American's aren't very interested in The America's Cup, but in New Zealand, surrounded by water, sailing is in the DNA. And we like going up against the big money on a budget and doing it our way. We went to Freemantle with The Plastic Fantastic, and got laughed at...for awhile. This time Team New Zealand worked in isolation from the other entries, a lone wolf doing their own thing. Turned up with bicycles powering the hydraulics, an XBox controller to work the wing. A young team of Olympic medalists hungry to win.

And so they did, a totally dominant performance. A happy country - morning smoko shout from the boss today.

And we are kicking the Lions all around the country. America's Cup back in Auckland - the city is so far out of shape I don't think it can take on such a project.
 
Good for New Zealand. I saw a bit on the ABC Australia news about the win. Quite the vessel you have there. Foot powered winches versus the two hand crank style.


Job well done. Congratulations!
 
We just found out the foils were damaged in the nose dive earlier on, they were x raying them after every race. They weren't going to last much longer.
 
I hoped the Lions would break the chain, but the final score reflects the difference between the two teams. Good for New Zealand, a minnow showing the sharks how to do it.

Claud.
 
Gatlan is like Coutts...they get stick for being on the wrong side. But really, it just shows NZ talent expanding to the world. Being the best in New Zealand isn't a big deal, the world stage is the test.
 
It's lost its appeal to me. Back when Ted Turner was racing, it was sailors vs sailors in sailboats. It's changed to althletes in overly engineered boats. It's amazing how fast they go, though. Nice job by the Kiwis.
 
Always happy to see an Antipodean win. Even happier when it's extending the middle finger to Larry Ellison.

I must say, as exciting as it is to watch, I kinda miss the 12 Metre days. More about sailing and less about technology. Then again, the old winged keel controversy will inevitably come back up, so maybe it's some form of progress.

I missed most of it this year, but a good outcome is a good outcome.

I've never really seen Americans get into yachting. When I first went over in 1988 most people I asked about it went "Americas what?". Unless it had a V8, 4 wheels and only turned left there seemed to be little awareness of it. I know with the improved coverage there's more on the screen, but it still seems to be a minority sport over there. Down here we're practically raised on sailing. Even in the middle of nowhere they still race "boats" (just fitted with wheels).
 
For a moment I thought it was about Copa America. Given how New Zealand got its butt kicked by Portugal the other day, I was surprised anyone would still want to think about futbol there.
 
This past weekend was the first time in years I had watched any AC. I couldn't believe the hulls weren't even in the water. That's sailing? It's sort of like drag racing without your wheels on the ground....which is what planes do.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Be nice if the things looked like sailboats.


They're machines now, not really sailboats...

I had the pleasure of sailing an America's Cup boat in Auckland many years ago, the NZL-40. A tourist attraction, and you sail for a fee, but that boat flat out FLEW across the water. A moderate breeze in the bay and it was up near 18 knots. Wish I carried a camera back then...

It was berthed right by a place called the Loaded Hog...perfect after a day of sailing...
 
I spend some time in Newport RI in the summer where one can sail on one of several of the old 12 meters. It's a nice ride on a good day.
 
Now NZ has the cup, they are looking at some rules changes...back to monohulls and nationality of crew members for one. The foiling cats are at the very leading edge of technology, this is the F1 of yachting, pushing beyond the limits of what is considered possible. Going back to monohulls will go back to sailing, but it will be slow and not high tech...they will have to find some middle road. TNZ had an Aussie on board, but the rest of the crew were Kiwis, the boat was built here, this team and boat reflect our nationality. The other boats were essentially made in New Zealand, and crewed by Kiwis and Aussies. Other countries don't have sailors of this level to crew their boats, there are more Kiwi and Aussie sailors than we can fit on our boats, they have to sail on something. Another thing to find a middle road on.

The defender of the Cup sets the rules, and they are stacked so far in their favour that to win it is almost impossible...the reason America held it for about 130 years. TNZ want to make it a real yacht race, get more challengers, take the elitism out of it. They've got 4 years.

Luna Rossa is the first challenger, they will work with TNZ to set the format.
 
Yep, well played by the Kiwis. I wonder how many of the non-Aussie/Kiwi folk are trying to work out what a "morning smoko shout" is
smile.gif
 
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