America's Cup (Any Sailing Fans In PE?)

[Duncan Glenday]

The final race series starts at 11:30 tonight (i.e. tomorrow afternoon New Zealand time).

I've been fascinated by these boats : the technology, the speed, the skill it takes to sail these monsters - and the fact that they can go more that 3 times the speed of the wind that powers them!

They race on the 10th, and the 12th through the 17th of March (New Zealand afternoons), in a best-of-13 format. It's on NBC-SH. And - the America's Cup is the oldest sports trophy in the world that's still being competed for.

I grew up racing sailboats, so for me this is mandatory viewing.



Wondering if anyone else on PE has an interest in sailboat racing?

[Hobo Chang Ba]

I've tried watching sailing at the olympics and I couldn't get into it. Idk if it was the distance/weird camera perspectives, my lack of knowledge of what was happening, or just general apathy, but i found it boring and difficult to follow.

[NogbadTheBad]

Was rather surprised the UK lost so heavily in the challenger final given their performance in the round robin. Will certainly be following the racing. It's actually quite good on TV.

[loshammeros]

I was in Newport,RI back in 1983 and I was wearing an Australia tee shirt which didn't seem to go over too well.I was unaware of the event taking place,I was just there for a little getaway.

[Duncan Glenday]

Was rather surprised the UK lost so heavily in the challenger final given their performance in the round robin. Will certainly be following the racing. It's actually quite good on TV.

True, Ian - they killed it in the Christmas regatta, then lost the script in the round robins.

I kinda hope the Italians do well.. They've never won before, despite being a consistent participant - so I'd love them to be encouraged to continue competing in the coming years.

Though emotionally, I'm rooting for New Zealand. (My sister and family live there.)

[chalkpie]

I am rooting for Tony Soprano's boat The Stugots II....if he's still alive that is....

[mozo-pg]

[Duncan Glenday]

Close, CLOSE racing last night!

It's 2 and 2

Emotionally, I want New Zealand to win.

intellectually, I want Italy to win. I don't want them to drop out of future regattas because they see this thing as "un-winnable". They've tried so many times, without success - and I'm all for encouraging them - and other nations - to join the fray.

[markwoll]

I thought it had devolved to Larry Ellison vs the World. It's been a couple of years since I have seen any cup racing. I was at a convention in San Francisco where they had giant hi def screens showing the racing in SF 2013 I think

[Duncan Glenday]

That 2013 series had one of the biggest sporting comebacks in history!

Ellison dropped out after (I think) 2017.

With budgets of almost half a billion, it will always be billionaire against billionaire

But the technology they produce, the quality of the sailors they employ, and the way the whole thing creates new sailing boundaries is fascinating.

It still defies common sense that they can do almost 60mph when being pushed along by a 17 mph wind!

[Duncan Glenday]

Holy Mack - what a race!

Crazy!

[NogbadTheBad]

Was glad to finally see some lead changes.