HOME -this month at Sailorgirl - the america's cup
For the first time in 152 years, the America's Cup returns to Europe. The new home of the America's Cup is the Société Nautique de Genève in landlocked Switzerland after the Swiss team swept the New Zealand boat in 5 straight races.
Alinghi, the Swiss Syndicate sailed through the nine syndicates in the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series over three months to win and then defeated Team New Zealand for the Cup in the best five of nine races.
A quick recap of the races:
Race 1: On the way to the start line, NZ calls for
a genoa to be raised ready for racing. A shackle broke and the sail could
not be lifted. Next, the low-sitting boat, thought to have been designed
to be "wet" and carry a limited amount of water, was washed by two stiff
waves. Within a short time, the 25-tonne boat was weighed down with up
to 5 tonnes of water. It was too much for the boat's new light-weight
boom. The outer end of the carbon fibre boom exploded, shards tearing
the mainsail. Then came yet another gear failure. A titanium ring attaching
the genoa to the deck shattered, sending the sail flapping back to be
grabbed and hauled in by anxious crew.
Moments later, with a broken boom, broken headsail and more water pouring
in, the sailor asked again: "Should we go round like this?" This time
the reply was less confident: "What do you think?" They had no time to
decide. At the front of the boat, the crew had tried to hoist a second
genoa. But the first failure had damaged the headfoil and the second sail
also blew out, twisting the fragile boat dangerously. To save the boat,
the Kiwis called it quits and headed in.
Alinghi sailed the final five legs alone, needing to finish the race to
claim the point.
Race 2: Alinghi wins. "We made a couple of mistakes and that caused the race to end up being a lot closer than it needed to be," Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said afterwards. "Alinghi just outsailed us right at the end."
Race 3: Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker confessed
that his sailing team made another costly tactical blunder in yesterday's
race, effectively handing the win to the Swiss team before they crossed
the starting line.
His weather team told the New Zealanders to try to take the right-hand
start of the side line, but Barker said "confusion" meant the sailors
elected to stick to the left.
It was the wrong decision.
Alinghi, under the guidance of Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth,
received the same message from their weather scouts and changed their
plans two minutes before the start. Alinghi went to the line on the right
side, picked up a favourable windshift and streaked away.
The Swiss boat led all the way and crossed the finish line 23 seconds
ahead.
Race 4: The black boat was dismasted during leg 3
of the six-leg race when pounding to windward in a 25 knot nor'easter.
None of the crew were injured. The mast snapped above the lowest spreaders.
The upper portion did not break free, but instead remained trailing over
the stern of the yacht.
Skipper Russell Coutts and the crew of Alinghi SUI64 sailed a perfect
race, winning the start, leading by 8 seconds at the first mark and extending
their lead to 17 seconds at mark two. After the dismasting of NZL82, Alinghi
continued around the course to claim an easy win.
Race 5: Alinghi led from start to finish in the six-leg,
18.5 nautical mile course on the Hauraki Gulf, a fitting way to end a
regatta they completely dominated.
The loss ended a disastrous defence for New Zealand, whose boat was clearly
inferior. Their campaign ended when the boat's spinnaker fouled on the
fourth leg and the spinnaker pole snapped. The boat's dejected crew threw
the shattered carbon fibre pole over the side and replaced it with a spare.
New Zealand had made small gains over the first three legs, but whatever
hope they had floated away with the broken pole.
Stay tuned for the next America's Cup in 2007.
WHEN - The Swiss Syndicate, now holder of the Cup has announced SUMMER 2007.
WHERE - Consider Spain, France and Italy as possibilities? Why not the UK at the Isle of Wight, site of the original America's Cup in 1851, Queen Victoria wont make it this time but the world, hopefully peaceful in 2007 will! Mr. Bertarelli, give this serious consideration, a grand gesture on your part. What a venue this would be, perfect timing for media coverage, the sailing world on and offshore would be spectators, sponsors may make as many as 15 syndicates for competition in the Challenger series, the UK, a no brainer in my opinion.
Who - LARRY ELLISON'S Oracle Racing has been named as the American Challenger of Record, good showing in the Challenger Races the reason.
