Max
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Feb 16, 2010, 3:14 AM
Post #8 of 12
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Re: [willbaillieu] America's Cup Delays
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I can understand Will's strong feelings that (i) there shouldn't be DoG matches; (ii) there should be a multiteam event involving match racing; (iii) USA-17 and A5 were unmatched and unseaworthy "freak" boats; and (iv) it's all very bad for the AC's reputation. But, and as others have said:
- Alinghi/SNG/Bertarelli have repeatedly behaved disgracefully in an attempt to skew the race their own way. That did not start with the DoG challenge, but with A/S/B's attempt to convene a challenge with a non-qualifying club. One would think, normally, that a defender would be as keen as anyone on having a robust and evenhanded regatta - but A/S/B just weren't. The latest allegations of appalling behaviour by SNG officials - which make me think all the more highly of Harold Bennett - serve to underline just how broad and how deep the apparent objection to anything that might see A/B lose (again) ran. The DoG match - as with so many things that Will has complained over - was the necessary result of that attitude.
- There was, repeatedly, scope for A/S/B to agree to a multiteam regatta on fair terms. A/S/B didn't take it.
- A5 was a very limited boat with a narrow performance (and possibly safety) window - more fool them; BOR was, so far as we can tell, much more versatile and Will's contempt for the combined efforts of a really incredible group of sailors (and, sure, a huge amount of money and technology) seems misplaced, especially relative to all the deference and forbearance that A/S/B seem to get. In any case, it's too late to pretend that the AC - at least since Australia II - hasn't been a battle of money, guile and technology. It's not a conventional single class race and it would be a great shame if it were to become one - not that that is at all likely with Coutts involved.
- I agree that the DoG matches didn't make for good television match coverage. It did, though, make for absolutely fantastic media coverage of just what a sailboat can do - I have no idea how many news outlets ran clips of USA-17 on a single ama, but am quite sure that this event, and the result, has left more people worldwide stunned both by how fast USA-17 could go and in how little wind than any previous event, whether AC or multihull. That may well not satisfy the specialist, but it's hardly all downside.
As to the future, and also just so as to throw A/S/B's conduct into sharp perspective, Ellison has said, immediately, that there will now be independent management, independent juries and so forth.
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