So much has happened...
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Keelboat classes
Forum Name: America's Cup
Forum Discription: Your thoughts on challenges to win the 'Auld Mug'
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2958
Printed Date: 10 May 25 at 8:31am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: So much has happened...
Posted By: Rupert
Subject: So much has happened...
Date Posted: 14 May 07 at 1:33pm
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There has actually been racing...Semifinals underway...Yet there are no posts about it on here... I know most of us are dinghy sailors, and there is no british entry, but is it all really so predictable that there are no views at all? After all, a trail to see it there were boats possibly, maybe, suitable for ladies to sail at the Olympics generated massive amounts of chat, and there weren't any winners, even! ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Replies:
Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 14 May 07 at 9:26pm
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I'm loving the America's Cup at the moment, it's about the only time i get to watch sailing on the tv, even if it is a slow dinosaur of a boat. If you want uninformed and some informed discussion on the AC your best bet is to head over to the sailing anarchy forum, they've got loads of opinion, though the majority is either patriotic yanks or kiwis sl*gging each other off! ------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 14 May 07 at 9:38pm
You may be able to see it on telly but I can't. I'd be deeply more interested if I could see it on the telly.
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Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 14 May 07 at 10:05pm
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www.sail.tv has free coverage if you register (which is also free) You need a reasonable download speed but seems to work well.
------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 15 May 07 at 9:41pm
Ooh.... ta... I think I registered there a while back....
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Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 15 May 07 at 10:33pm
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And to try and start some discussion, After 2 semi finals looks like ETNZ are running over the spannish, but Luna Rossa and BMW Oracle are looking like it could either way at the moment, with one win each at the moment. So whose your money on to be the challenger? and does Alinghi have this years hula or winged keel? ------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 15 May 07 at 10:41pm
| I'm not sure if anyone really knows what Alinghi are doing. Presumably they are keeping an eye on the LV cup performances so will be able to compare where they are at compared to where they need to be. I think you have the semis pegged right, although with all those forces being bandied around it could be gear failure rather than performance that leads to upsets.... |
Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 16 May 07 at 7:28am
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Alinghi are basicaly practicing in the south of the harbour each day and probably watching the other teams like a hawk. And this is what could be this years hula/winged keel! http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=531&objec tid=10435312 You may well be right about gear failure, but i think stronger winds are needed to really see that be an issue. Though the other point is that the teams only have a limited number of sails for the louis vuitton cup, i think it's 45, so if ETNZ are able to save theirs through the semi's they can have a couple of fresh sails for the final which the winner of the other semi may not have. ------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 16 May 07 at 10:58am
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TNZ certainly seems to have the measure of the Spanish. As for gear failure in the other pair. Oracle lost to China due to that, I wonder if that makes them weaker or stronger. The win by Luna Rossa on Monday seemed to be viewed as an upset. I'm not impressed but the sail tv coverage, I just seem to run into problems. It's saying I'm in the wrong country now.
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Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 16 May 07 at 5:27pm
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Well some more fantastic racing today, Desafio sailed a solid match race the whole way round and really showed it to the kiwi's. And interestingly both BMW and LR were tinkering with their boats last night as new measurement certificates were issued today, but didn't do much for BMW on the race course, another good win for LR. That brings after 3 races the scores to: ETNZ 2 : 1 Desafio LR 2 : 1 BMW Tomorrow could be very interesting to see how this progresses. ------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: Guest
Date Posted: 16 May 07 at 5:51pm
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Are you watching this somewhere? ------------- |
Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 16 May 07 at 8:39pm
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It's on sky sports 2 or sky sports extra live between 2pm and 4pm, and then repeated between 8pm and 10pm each day, usually i don't get to watch it live due to being at work, but i had a half day at college so was able to watch it today.
------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 16 May 07 at 10:01pm
I'm monitoring on http://www.americascup.com/en/ - http://www.americascup.com/en/ There is a race viewer that shows distace, pictures, wind speed and has radio coverage. Ideal when your in the office.
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 17 May 07 at 8:59am
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Surprisingly, this has turned into a real contest, which must have shocked the Americans somewhat! Can Luna Rossa keep it up? ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 17 May 07 at 10:16am
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Luna Rossa kept a tight hold on Oracle yesterday. Rather than trying to sail their own race. New Zealands penalty seemed to upset their concentration. I can't think of a race where a penalty hasn't cost the boat the race. A rest day today.
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Posted By: Guest
Date Posted: 18 May 07 at 3:46pm
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Just watched the race on the Virtual cupanywhere thing (£20) and had the radio comentary on ... quite a good way to watch the cup ... ------------- |
Posted By: Hobbo
Date Posted: 18 May 07 at 3:59pm
Italians are 3-1 up 
------------- Contender GBR 362 Osprey 1318 - IVplay SSC |
Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 18 May 07 at 6:19pm
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As are TNZ. The BMW seems to of stalled.
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Posted By: WildWood
Date Posted: 20 May 07 at 9:35am
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Looks like TNZ Vs Luna Rosa for the final then.... Luna Rosa certainly seem to have some talented sailors onboard, while TNZ appear to have a fast boat. Should be an interesting contest. Hopefully it will be quite evenly balanced as well. Would be exciting to see it go to 8-8 and come down to the last race! ------------- |
Posted By: FreshScum
Date Posted: 21 May 07 at 7:31am
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I think its first to 5 points/best of 9. Who is everyone supporting? I'd like it to stay in Europe, Italy would be good, but possbly even more expensive! |
Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 21 May 07 at 7:59am
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Well BMW are now out, Luna Rossa are looking very good out there. And it's now ETNZ 4: 2 Desafio in the other semi, can Desafio pull it back, I doubt it but it would be nice to see the cup stay in Europe at least there's a chance of going and watching it. ------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: gonzo
Date Posted: 21 May 07 at 12:38pm
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Well after living in Dubai and being such a small community rumors had gone around that if ETNZ win it is written in the contract that the cup will be held there which would be good although sounds quite over the top. All of this may have changed mind you following the arrival of Victory Challenge and Alinghi out there ------------- Go Big or Go home or sail a 49er!!! |
Posted By: tack'ho
Date Posted: 21 May 07 at 12:54pm
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Oh god not Dubai...anything but that!! Please let it be in a country which actually cares about the sport and not just about the kudos of hosting an international event. ------------- I might be sailing it, but it's still sh**e! |
Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 22 May 07 at 8:47am
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Having been to Auckland for the last cup I can't believe ETNZ would compete if the cup was not going back to Auckland. The economy of New Zealand is so small that the cup is worth thousands of dollars for each New Zealander.
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Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 22 May 07 at 8:50am
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I see Origin have bought SUI 75 and plan to sailing in July. I wonder who will be on board. Anyone got any thoughts or rumours? The obvious person to me is Ben Ainslie, I think he has already said he is not staying with ETNZ.
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Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 22 May 07 at 1:17pm
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Well Origin have signed Mike Sanderson (he of the ABN Amro VOR) as team boss. Rumours are around that Ian Percy will also be on board, so it's looking like it could be a serious challenge. Any ideas of where they're planning on building the boats yet? ------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: Contender443
Date Posted: 22 May 07 at 1:33pm
They said that about the last one with Ian Walker in charge. Sorry but I don't believe it will be any good. I stand to be corrected. ------------- Bonnie Lass Contender 1764 |
Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 22 May 07 at 2:38pm
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Well Sir Keith Mills has got one hell of a pedigree. But it could come down to the old problem for British syndicates. Finding the sponsorship to compete. Most of the sponsorship for GBR challenge was in kind, not in cash. So you would want someone not connected with sailing. The obvious bank that sponsor sport is RBS There are not many British car manufactuers, but Aston Martin is now in Dave Richards hands. Richard Branson might be persuaded. Any other ideas who we can get to foot the bill?
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Posted By: Hobbo
Date Posted: 22 May 07 at 3:27pm
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Keith Mills has a fair bit of money himself and is superbly well connected. Read a bit about him when he bacame a director of Spurs, he is very accomplished at getting what he wants on sport and i hope this isn't any different.
------------- Contender GBR 362 Osprey 1318 - IVplay SSC |
Posted By: FreshScum
Date Posted: 22 May 07 at 5:32pm
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Keith has said he is committed for the next two Cup cycles. And someone 'big' is signed. Someone who couldn't be announced at the London boat show. |
Posted By: laser4000
Date Posted: 22 May 07 at 6:49pm
| surely ian williams has to get a call - number one ranked match racer in the world...look how spithill out matchraced dicko... |
Posted By: shogun22
Date Posted: 23 May 07 at 5:21pm
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On the subject of British sponsorship. Have a look at the current teams. BT is a lead sponsor on Alinghi, HSBC are there. Vodaphone are there, HL do the gear for BMW Oracle. The biggest bank in the world is British, nos 2 & 3 oil companies are British, the biggest drug company, the biggest drinks company, the biggest mobile phone company. I read somewhere that of the 1000 biggest companies in the world a third of them are British--more than Germany, Japan or the US. But remember, multinationals are not nationalistic, they will back success and exposure. Origin has to convince some very hard nosed people to give them money, they get my support. |
Posted By: rexw
Date Posted: 05 Jun 07 at 11:31pm
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Hi everyone , I have just joined . I love the Aerica's cup , I have kept a watch on the cup since 1983. I think when it comes to winning the cup , it requires about 3-4 things to have , The one of the most important is a team leader / organiser who knows how to run a major yachting campaigne , New Zealand has been fortunite to have had in the past Peter Blake ,and this time Grant Dalton, so far he has done a great job . The man at the top has know when to say no or yes to any idea or desicion that has to be made . I think if you get this person right you are on your way. The one thing Peter Blake and Grant Dalton have had in common was there years of sailing , fund raising and running Whitbread/Volvo campaignes , what better way to find a strong leader. In 2003 N.Z didn't have a leader leader who could say no to the 'boffin's' and paid the price , if Alinghi don't follow the same game plan they had in 2003 (Letting the sail team lead the campainge) I think they will be in trouble .losing Coutts would probabaly be their biggest mistake so far to date. So far T.N.Z seem to be following a strong plan with the results showing for them selves . I can see T.N.Z being a strong contender up against Alinghi ------------- Go TNZ |