The Americas Cup is and always has been a design competition. That's why the lawyers got involved. The fist one was called the Queens Cup, and it was "run what you brung" Now we have a "Deed of Gift", "Challenger of Record" and all other kinds of documents and court rulings trying to limit any one teams advantage. Which ends up making it basically a financial race. But this has been a great show so far in the finals.

I have not had the same enthusiasm for the AC since they went to multi-hulls, but I agree that it has been rather exciting. It seems that any mistake is punished much more severely with these fast machines and I admire the crews' athleticism and skill.

Tactics still count for a lot as evidenced by the several losses the Oracle team experienced due to a blunder or two.

Bud, it almost goes without saying - over here there is considerable interest in the racing, even from folk who don't know the pointy end from the blunt end... (and we have plenty of those despite what you see in the news) :-)

Here's one suggestion for what might happen:
[url]http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/yachting/273627/yachting-spectacular-ac72s-co...

I don't find the new Cat races very exciting. Maybe interesting with the technology and high speeds, but not really interesting races. Perhaps if they lengthened the races by 3 or 4 times to make them longer so crew error would have a bigger factor.

I would welcome a change back to monohulls. Do you notice that at least in this country, NASCAR is much more popular than Formula 1? It is closer to what people can relate to, even if the NASCAR race cars are really frauds and not very close at all to regular cars. I guess the old 12 meter boats are not that close to my C36 either, but at least I can relate.

They lost me when they switched to Cats. To me it's not a "sailboat" race anymore. Yes, I'm a fuddie-duddie.

Mike

I've been converted. I really hate to give Ellison credit for anything; I heard him speak at Oracle conferences, and he's one of the most egotistical people I've ever been around. And when I first heard they were doing cats, I was turned off. I'd never own one, and was really turned off by some multihull people who felt it was their religious duty to 'convert' me from a monohull to a multihull (give me a break). But for racing, seeing them tear along at 45 knots, on the very edge of stability, has made it pretty exciting. And I think the shorter races make it easier to watch, especially for non-sailors who'd fall asleep watching the monohull races.

My favorite auto racing is F1, open wheeled cars that are also at the very edge of technology. It's difficult to believe anyone could drive a car that fast on a road course. NASCAR???? Booooorrrrriiiiiing. But more popular because you can sit in the stands and watch them go round and round (endlessly). I raced motocross; but supercross, in stadiums, is more popular. Having the AC on San Francisco Bay is the closest thing to stadium racing for sailing you're gonna get.

So while I wouldn't want to own a cat, any more than I'd want to drive an F1 car to the mall, I think it has upped the interest level. Given my druthers, I'd have them go back to racing J Boats; sure as heck couldn't cost more than one of those high tech cats.

All a matter of opinion and what folks like.

I've been watching on TV and was out for Race 5 and Race 9 just yesterday. If you look at the RACE 9 video, at the beginning for the introductions they usually show the GG Bridge. I'm the boat anchored in the little cove at the north end of the bridge!

Seeing the boats up close and personal is truly amazing. Fast, fast, fast. We get fly-bys all the time when they are out practicing.

But watching the races from the water s*cks. I listened to the commentary on VHF CH 20 (a replay of the TV coverage audio) just to find out what's going on.

For those of you who race your boats, you may have a better idea from the water, but even then it's hard to see who's in front and what the tacking angles and laylines are.

Except for the continued misuse of the phrases "Ebb Tide" (too bad they ever wrote that song - it's current, not tide) and "The Cone of Alcatraz" (which is to the east not the south of the island), it's pretty good coverage. I just wish they'd stop showing the helmet heads and concentrate on aerial shots to show where the boats are in relation to each other and the Marks.

Regardless of what boats they use next time, we're going to have to either get up really early or stay up really late to see the next AC live!:D

Here are some photos from last weeks race. I was on the east down wind end of the race...

Well, with all due respect to the awesome Kiwi team, I am happy that Oracle USA is finally making a great showing. Had it not been for some bad luck with that time limit abandonment of that one race, it would have been all over. At least fans have more to watch.

I was not a fan when it was announced that cats would be the boat. However, I am now a full convert. Where else do you see excitement at this level of racing. It really puts experience/skill at test when even a small misjudgment or mistake can make such a difference. You have to respect Oracle for what it has done. But for those 2 penalty points, which were not a result of this series, it would be a tie. What a comeback!

An observation -

I was attending a bi-monthly social for our cruising club (maybe 60% power/40% sail) last evening and got there slightly late having had to work (unlike pretty much everyone else there). I was amazed to find that the America's Cup race was not on the TV, so I asked the barkeep to change it.

Once I did, I had quite a few people wander over and ask me what was on. Many didn't even know that the AC was being held at this time, and that includes the sailors in the group.

No one knew the standings, and many asked how long catamarans had been used in the AC (1988 was the first).

For that group of 50 folks, it seems the Americas Cup is indeed rather irrelevant.

While I agree that the AC isn't on many people's radar, I think a large part of that is that it's not promoted all that well, at least not in the States. Let's face it, in the US stick and ball sports are what you see on TV. I'm surprised soccer is making inroads (my kids play) because there are no breaks in the game for commercials (like baseball, football, tennis, etc), a real killer for TV exposure. NASCAR has become popular because you can watch it in bleachers and the advertising is all over the cars for TV. I've shown some AC highlight videos to some non-boating folks, and they thought it was pretty awesome stuff. But none were aware of or interested in the AC until they saw it. I have a feeling that in other parts of the world, where sailing is a big sport, the interest is much higher.

As I said before, I hate to give Ellison credit for anything, but I really think he's on the right track with the current format, much as I hate to admit it.

Most of us here in New Zealand would rather it had only been 'First to EIGHT races' :-)

Oracle - UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

I am already planning to get into work 1.5 hours early tomorrow so I can guiltlessly leave early enough to get home and catch the last race.

I can imagine that the Kiwis' frustration and despair at this point is perhaps worse than it was for many Oracle supporters when we were down so far early on. At that point, Team USA didn't look like it had a chance at all, so no big deal if we lost. But now the Kiwis have let the lead slip by for so many days and that has to hurt a lot.

No matter the final outcome, it was a hell of a battle.

I'm going to be driving my 97 year old Dad around to doctors appointments so will miss it live. But I will have my DVR set up. One advantage of the lack of interest in the AC is that I'm unlikely to hear the results on the radio on the way home. :-)

If Oracle wins, I'd have to think it is one of the most amazing comebacks in all of sports.

I'm casting off at 11:00 am and plan on hanging out on the east end of the course. After the boats make their turn at the east gate I will be heading to the finish line to watch the winner. It will be quite the historical "Kodak Moment!" Go USA ORACLE!

Photos to follow...

Chris - Don't know if it was you, bu it looked like a 36 went by Oracle, or Oracle went by a 36, after the race. It was towing a dinghy. In any event, congrats to Oracle and USA.

Saw that Mk ll 36 also Dave

Right after the race, I beat Chris to post the flix

Photos from yesterday's race... enjoy...cs

Page 2 of photos...cs

Thx, Chris and Stu.

What an amazing comeback for Oracle and thrilling competition overall.