America's Cup

[John Nantz]

Latest Bookie Odds

After writing my last post I went to the William Hill book site and the odds have really changed.Notice that Alinghi and OneWorld are the top two challengers and Victory Challenge has moved up from 51:1 to 11:1 odds while the early favorite Prada is quickly sinking.

 

[Justin - O'day Owners' Web]

Virtual Cup

Last time there was a great on-line race game accessable through the L-V cup site. Anyone seen something like it this year?Justin - O'day Owners' Web

 

[Bill]

Prefer to participate

More fun to participate in a race than watch one. Of course, the participants in the Cup are looked on as celebs. But I think they were just lucky to be considered the best of the best and given the chance to prove it. I wonder how they would do in a beer can race. A member of our boat club was an olympic racer. He was born in Bermuda and sailed all his life. He finally gave up sailing to play golf. I asked him why? He said there was no pleasure left in "just going for a sail" he always felt he had to race.

 

[steve growcock]

wearing out the remote...

Went to a 50th bday party on Saturday night. Made a social boob of myself by promptly finding my host's TV and flipping between the St. Louis Cardinals' vs. Arizona D'backs and the LV Cup races.Click Cairo makes another hit, click USA opens the chute for a downwind run, click struck him out, click...Interestingly, I was joined by a few others interested in my remote control gymnastics.There is strength in numbers.Steve!

 

[Bill]

A bit of both

The Americ's Cup races indeed are some of the very best sailors who have at their disposal an insane amount of money.On one had I get to see people who do their sailing everyday and have basically made a science out of it and it is interesting to watch and see how seasoned teams work and battle together, all in the name of winning a cup. On the other hand, it is hard to rationalize the amount of money that is spent just to say you are the best.This like stock car racing does sometimes trickle down new advances that help improve or make personal boating better and more enjoyable so maybe in the long haul it is worth it.Personally I will watch to see the grinders at work and, especially in a close contest, see how the tackticians manuever to spoil the other boat's air and possibly make a pass.

 

[LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners.com]

Wish I had cable

I loved catching the races when I had the chance last time. I purposely don't subscribe to cable (cuz I'd watch TV 24/7!) but these are the times when it'd be nice. LaDonna

 

[James E. Meyers]

Skill is the name of the game.

I will always be a follower of the Americas Cup competition; however, I do not believe that money should decide the winner of this competition. I believe skill should be the deciding factor.I also believe that a one design boat should be entered in the competition. This boat should be of such a size and design that would be affordable. Today's cup boats are getting more lighter and do not hold together, thus driving the expenses up and up in repair work alone. If the cost of building a cup boat could be held to a more managable figure, perhaps all that advertising plastered on the sails and boat parts could be avoidable. Jim Meyers

 

[Sam Mills]

You would if you could

If we had the money and the time we would probably all be there. It is high tech but it is also fab sailing on an amazing scale. 450 sq meter kites being set and retrieved in seconds, cut throat tactics, pre-starts that ... well you get the idea. I'm not going to miss any of the races.

 

[Chip]

Pinnacle & Playground

The Americas Cup will always be the pinnacle of match racing. The entrance of the "Bs" as Dennis calls them has brought needed $$ to the sport and I believe that it has resulted in one of the best fields the LV Cup has seen. As for following the action, I hope to watch every US race and many of the other top competitors. Virtual Spectator has created quite an application and service for watching all the races. For me it is my only option as I do not have access to ODL on my cable TV. Here's to bringing the cup back to the US.

 

[Paul Ettorre]

Skills? Maybe

I am a little or should I say very disappointed in these trials. Most of these races are virtual runaways. You don't see tacking duals anymore. Could be that everyone should be sailing the same boats and then skills really take over. Then its about men in boats using their sailing skills to win races. This has become a mega-bucks game taking all the excitement and thrill of the race out of it. I think its sad!

 

[Jim A]

This is our sport

And they are our super heros! When ever 2 sailboats are together it is a race! This is our sport!

 

[Al Carlson]

A great show and wonderful technology devel.

Besides wonderful views of great racing bysome of the most skilled racers in the world(especially the Olympic racers), the money poured into the development of boats, sails, and gear funds research that probably wouldn't happen without the LVC and Americas Cup.I'll never forget what the "space race" did for the development of semiconductors. Sure, it took time for pricy chips to get cheap enough to start showing up in consumer applications, but they revolutionized our electronics. I was there.The development of lighter, stronger gear, better hull shapes, much better cordage, and sail designs will come from the investment by the LVC teams. Who else does tank testing??Bravo LVC challengers! And thank you!Al Carlson

 

[Cathy Alcorn]

We have been watching and taping the "featured" America's Cup races for sailing friends without cable on OLN. I personally would like to get a better look at some of the boats and the technology as a part of the coverage but as someone else mentioned, all of that information seems to be closely guarded by each team. I think that the yachts, the syndicates and crews are too rarified for the average viewer to identify with, which is a shame really. Good question.

 

[Hogan Cooper]

Entertaining and Enlightening

I watch the OLN coverage nightly, except for weekends, and have found most of the races slightly boring. I yearn for paint scraping and a battle to the finish; many have been one sided. I do think I am learning with the simulations and explanations offered by the commentators, but limited by my own knowledge.

 

[Ian]

Spoiled billionaires?!

Why the pejorative term, "spoiled billionaires?" By working 100 hours/wk., by abandoning a life outside of the job, by paying attention in school, these "spoiled billionaires" can afford to take the chance to develop new technology in sailing that benefits us all and, quite frankly, provide jobs for sail bums who have chosen a less demanding life. Thanks for the "spoiled billionaires." Wish there were more.

 

[Stephen Digilio]

Match racing is the best

I love to watch the Louis Vuitton and America's Cup races because I love match racing over a fixed course. This is a true test of skipper & crew. One mistake and you loose. Long distance racing is often a survival test. In match racing the fastest boat does not necessarily win. A smart skipper with a good crew can sail a slower boar to victory.

 

[Bob Robella]

The best of the best - maybe!

I agree with some, that all it takes is about 12 million dollars, and you can build or buy your way into this competition. I know that if I havd it, I would. But since I don't, I have to be satisfied with watching it on television. As a sailor, I still appreciate the nuances and skill required to compete on this level....on the water! I still sit on the edge of my seat while watching a dual at the start, and foreo that trip to the kitchen or bathroom until a good tacking dual is over. I root for the boat(or one of them) that flys the Stars and Strips, although I firmly believe that Dennis Connor would better serve as a float in New York on Thanksgiving Day.For the millions of sailors, who really love the sport, and live vicariously on those boats once every four years, relishing in the angle of heel, the speed of the sail sets and tacks, and who know that they're own boats will never exceed 5 knots.........I say "Sail on!"

 

[Ron Schwiesow]

Not what I sail

I'll ignore the cup. It's no different than other so-called "sports" that are simply entertainment for the masses, much like Roman circuses as the empire fell.

 

[Steve Dion]

Most Racing has little too do with our type

Most all out racing of sailboats has very little to do with the type of boats that most of us sail from day to day. These guys spend more on a race that we spend in an entire year for a single race. Simple races like the Pacific Cup and the Transpac are very costly, 5-10 crew members. The cost of meals, lodging, equipment, air-fares and expenses are very high. Then they need new sails, rigging and parts are always breaking. Many of these boats have managers that are full time employees. What I am talking about here is small potatoes compared to the Americas Cup racing.If there is any good to come out of these dueling matches is the technology that gets designed into these vessels. Much of it will never make it to a cruising/production boat. There are very small subtle things that do get into the designed down stream. Let's face it. 60 sails of which each one may cost more than many of our boats are worth.Yes there are egos and money but there is also a lot of skill. NZ is the team to beat. It will be interesting to see who out designs who this year. Then the real question is who is going to out sails who, is there even a chance for anyone to beat NZ ??

 

[Valerie]

Sure beats NASCAR

This is our second time to be nightly riveted to the TV watching the LVC. And yes, they are races. We live in Talladega County, need I say more, but we have absolutely no interest in NASCAR. LVC/AC is the best of the best. Yes, they are well funded, but why show a sour face to people that work hard and capitalize on their opportunities? It's money they earned, so they can do what they like with it. I marvel at the technologies that bring us these races half way around the world. I aspire to have the know-how and stamina that those racers have.