PSA: Sailing Americas Cup – NZ vs USA, pretty cool stuff

Blimey this is good stuff!

Looks like the next race will be the decider.

Can’t decide if this is shaping up to be one of sports greatest comebacks or biggest chokes. Maybe both!

So why do the grinders use their arms. Wouldn’t it be better to pedal?

Franc Cammas used a bike / pedal fri der on his big tri when he raced it single handedly a few years ago. He also won the Etape du Tour btw. I think the logic is that hand grinders take up less room and are easy to get going rather than jumping on a “bike”

Gutted for NZ, barring a miracle they are going to loose this. As above Oracle have made the changes to their boat and they are now materially quicker. NZ have the advantage of the draw at start for the next race but somehow I feel it’s just not going to be.

And geared so low your legs couldn’t go fast enough. Direction changes as well.

Thanks for the answers re grinding.
So to work with the legs, it would need to be a fixie (to go both directions),what gear ratio for an AC72?

I love the bit after the finish when they sweep fast past the crowd, with one hull in the air. Total bonkers, but will miss it.

Come on Kiwis, an old diving buddy of mine helps make the boats, he is one on NZ’s best carbon fibre people.

Wow that was some racing in that last leg.

Fantastic viewing on YouTube.

Massive fan of Ben but wanted NZ to win from the start, now conflicted.

I’ve never liked Larry Ellison or Oracle, but man I am impressed with the way Team USA has turned this around.
I don’t really have a preference, but now would like USA to win after their comeback.
My sister is in NZ, so there is some banter flying around.

So what time do I have to tune in to watch this live?

It will be a national tragedy if NZ lose this. Oracle have stages an incredible comeback, maybe they are cheating again ?

So what time do I have to tune in to watch this live?

YouTube about 9pm, but very much depends on the wind.

richmars – Member

So what time do I have to tune in to watch this live?

YouTube about 9pm, but very much depends on the wind.
Thanks!

Get the Americas Cup App, t’is all on there..

Remarkable racing, never in my years sailing have I seen a turnaround quite like it.
Does make you wonder what kind of race it would have been fromthe outset if Ben was on USA all along eh?

I’m not a huge fan of Larry either, sense a bullyness about him, driven to win no doubt and with that comes power and he certainly has enough of it.. Glad he’s not on the boat this time as in previous incarnations of the AC.

Rock on, all to play for 😀

Ben for the Win 😉

Both boats are NZ boats!!

Ben’s helped with tactics for sure, but changes on Oracle by design/build team every day (NZers) is what has caused the noticable increase in boat speed and performance.

Edge of the seat stuff tho….

How unpatriotic of them Pukeko!

NZ bouys have always been good a chucking carbon together, were these built at Cooksons?? I’d be very suprised if not.
But in all the trials USA have had you’d have thought they could put together a few tacks and gybes on the foils, oh they could just slowly, then Larry got trashed and guess what, bought Ben in and look what happened.. Management from the aftguard and all’s well.

Dean Barker must be well cheesed off and Grant Dalton too… Are tehy wearing Red Socks this year??

Will be crushing for NZ if they lose this. Be good to see Ben and Oracle do it though. After what happened in the second race last night I really can’t see Oracle not winning it.

Wondering if this will end up in another court battle if we win the next race, in an attempt to over turn the penalty, with Oracle having the race wins under their belt. Americas cup is never complete without the eternal legal battles.

Shame this couldn’t have been wrapped up sooner, those two abandoned races are now looking reall significant.

It’s game over.

I’ve been a big supporter of New Zealand in the AC and it’s been amazing watching the second week of racing – but I’ve got to say that, in my eyes, they do not deserve to win.

In the first week they had fantastic teamwork and upwind speed that was guaranteed to get them to the front before the final downwind leg. All was good and they were relaxed, staying ashore when Oracle were out on the water during the no-racing days.

But then Oracle turn up on the Saturday with a new upwind speed that put the frighteners on TNZ and the whole game changed.
OK, so maybe Oracle did copy some of the TNZ techniques, but they went much further and got to the point where they can fully foil upwind at 30 knots while TNZ are still doing the 26-27 knots that they started the AC with.
This is where TNZ fell down. They believed, along with 99% of the sailing world, that it was game over so they sat back while the Oracle team plugged away at getting better and faster. For whatever reason, be it lack of funds or over confidence, TNZ failed to progress while Oracle watched, evaluated and adapted.

There was a lot of finger pointing going on in the first week when Oracle were making ‘lots of mistakes’, but now it’s TNZ who are struggling to win a start and are making the tactical errors.
Although I’d not be disappointed if TNZ managed to scrape through in the final race, I really do think that it’s Oracle who have made the most progress and probably should be retaining the Cup.

I do wonder what this will mean for the next AC. I suspect that it may well be staying in multihulls but maybe cheaper to encourage more entries – just as long as the TV coverage remains the same as I see this as being the big winner from this AC.

just as long as the TV coverage remains the same as I see this as being the big winner from this AC.

Totally agree with this, as a keen fan, but with no sailing experience. I remember back in the Dennis Conner era watching it on TV and not having a clue what was going on.
Now with all the virtual stuff (plus more exciting boats) it’s understandable and great TV.

Ain’t technology great! Put a GPS on each boat and, if you know the position of the marks, loads of info is available.

Sharky, good summary and I agree with you that Oracle are the more deserving of a win looking at the whole series.

NZ press and public are hacking TNZ down. Flashbacks of NZ choking like in previous Rugby World Cups is making everyones stomachs churn…

As I said previously, it makes for some damn excity telly tho 😀

The Kiwi’s seemed to throw away a good advantage in the last race; port entry into the start box, leeward boat and first to the first mark. Their decision to tack on the upwind leg, when they were on starboard still puzzles me, but I’m kinda glad I’m not the one having to make those calls!

The way Team Oracle have worked their way back to level score is awe inspiring and for that reason alone, I’m wanting them to pull it off.

Looking ahead, is there any possibility of a British funded challenge for the next one? After all, it is our cup! 😉

Eye, Bens got plans for a boat, he’s already been involved in the AC45’s..

Ben for the Win.. 😉

One hour to go!

http://www.redbull.com/en/stories/1331600236240/watch-the-americas-cup-live

Might be a bit windy:
Latest news

Just watched yesterday’s reruns, epic.

Eagerly waiting for the live feed to start… MrsBouy and I have a bottle of wine and nibbles all ready to go!!!!!!

Live coverage in 2 minutes!

Come on Oracle Team Ainslie!

woooo!

Is there a book running? 😉

Here we go!!

OK so what’s the difference between a tactician and a strategist?

I’m feeling the tension here for sure!

The creaking carbon fibre just adds to the tension!

USA to win I reckon.

Yup

Yep – but after seeing that dig in at the start, still darn tense!

NZ for the win!
I hope so anyway as one of our friends is on team NZ :/

OK so what’s the difference between a tactician and a strategist?

A strategist develops strategies with the objective of outmaneuvering their opponent whereas a tactician provides the team with little mints.