Anybody Watching America's Cup?

[sneuman]

"fast platforms" can be had in monos, too. But even if we're talking about multis, we need a much, well, cheaper, platform. A rule, whether mono or multi, that boxes in the innovation and limits the size and shape of the boats is essential. As is, the boats in AC33 were in the stratosphere as far as cost is concerned and that necessarily limits the race to a few super-spoiled rich boy brats (... and no, Ellison was not blameless with his last minute appeals about where Alinghi's sails were made). If China, for example, can't mount a campaign (as they did in AC32's Louis Vuitton Cup), that's no good.

[Stillraining]

Everybody is saying it better then I am...Sneuman nailed it above...expensive is one thing...Indy or stock car racing is expensive...but this is just down right insane...there will never be more then two boats competing per year at this level I fear.

That will be the boring part....That and get them small enough to handle some weather...its embarrassing!

[flysci]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

I'm hopeful that Ellison will restore the competitive aspects of the A-Cup -

I must be missing something here. Isn't it the GGYC that is the "winner"? Don't they have something to say about the conditions of the next race? Or is it really Ellison who will unilaterally make the decisions?

Margo

[TaoJones]

GGYC was something of a backwater YC when Ellison went looking for a host club for his 2007 effort. Certain agreements were reached between BOR and GGYC that provided Ellison with a sponsoring club he could use, and GGYC stood to quickly and splendidly grow from an afterthought to an important Bay Area YC.

The Club gets to display the America's Cup in their facility, but Ellison get to call the tune. But for his single-minded, no-expense-spared effort to win the Cup, Ernesto Bertarelli would today be laughing about how he "owns" the Cup - and he'd be right.

Trust me, GGYC will agree to whatever Larry Ellison wants when it comes to the next Cup defense. Ellison understands that the astronomical sums required to compete in the last two A-Cups stifles competition and is bad for the Cup. He has stated that he will see to it that AC34 is competitive - and he must be held to his word.

TaoJones