Now that's a choke

[Ford Fairlane]

The Kiwis blew the America's Cup from 8-1 up. Needing just one more win the trophy they went on to lose 8 in a row and go down 9-8. The US team, boat built in NZ, skippered by an Aussie and tactics by a Pom.

America's Cup 2013

 

[FishingRick04]

when were yachts, cats?

 

[Rankor]

They are now questioning whether they will challenge for the auld mug ever again now.

Wow go have a cry.

And about the boats- this year was the least interested I have ever been in the cup. They just are not yachts. Next they will probably race 18ft skiffs. In my eyes it's now a joke.

 

[Spadge]

has anyone actually cared since Australia II won it back in 1983?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I watched the half hour highlights package on Fox Sports each night from the 8-4 race.

It wasn't a choke it was just that the yanks made adjustments to their boat and they were faster than the Kiwis after those adjustments. This form of caterman is only about 2 years old. The Oracle team designed them and made the design available to the world in 2010/2011. The Kiwis have spent 2 years racing them and beating all the challengers for the Louis Vuitton cup and the yanks have only been racing their own team. The Kiwis stuffed up the start after 8-7 race but apart from that they weren't good enough in the races from 8-1 to the 8-9 end.

These boats are bloody amazing. With the wind they were doing between 40-42 knots about 78 kms/hr. These things go faster than the wind and are 22m long and the mast is 40m and they motor along. I used to enjoy watching the 18 foot skiffs on Sydney Harbour but these things are in a league of their own. A boat and campaign to win the America's cup will cost you between $100mil to $200mil.

The specs are at the following link and they have a 2 x 3 minute video. It shows the wind is 12.3 Km/Hr and the smaller AC45 boats are moving at 36 Km/Hr. The computer graphics, the cameras mounted on the boats, the helicopters and motor boats following them is great TV to watch compared to 30 years ago.

http://www.americascup.com/about/boats

The last 2 years they started with the AC45

The first of two new designs for the 34th  America’s Cup, the AC45 catamaran made its debut in Auckland on January 17, hitting speeds in excess of 20 knots, right out of the box. The boat is an essential element of the vision for the 34th America’s Cup, which will feature 72-foot catamarans raced on San Francisco Bay in the Finals in 2013.

But first, the AC45 will allow all teams to grow their experience on wingsailed multihulls. The 45 will be used throughout 2011 and 2012 in the America’s Cup World Series events before giving way to the AC72s for the Louis Vuitton Cup. The AC45 was designed by the ORACLE TEAM USA design and engineering team, which developed the catamaran on behalf of the America’s Cup community, which will use the boat for racing, testing and practise in 2011 and beyond

then they moved on to the AC72

The AC72 demands more of the crews than ever before. Athleticism is now a critical requirement for all crew members. The smaller crew size of 11 means every role on the boat is crucial to success, and each crew member will face physical demands equal to the toughest sports in the world.

Each team must design and build their own AC72 for racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger selection series and the America’s Cup Finals.

Teams were allowed to launch their first AC72 beginning on July 1, 2012, but are limited to 30 days of training and testing on the boat before January 31, 2013.

Teams who are building a second AC72 (ORACLE TEAM USA, Artemis Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand) can launch and begin sailing it on February 1, 2013.

Additionally, in keeping with the goal of revolutionizing the media coverage of the racing, the AC72 has provisions for on board television cameras as well as surround sound and crew microphones.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

has anyone actually cared since Australia II won it back in 1983?

Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum!

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

A couple of other things, when it was 8-1 it was really 8-3 as the yanks were penalized for winning 2 races because of cheating. When they won race 4 and 8 they stayed on 0 wins. So they effectivley started the comp on negative 2.

Cheating penalty[edit]

An international jury found Oracle Team USA guilty of cheating during the America's Cup warmup event in 2012 when they placed bags of lead pellets in their 45-foot catamarans to add additional weight.[39][40][41] Penalties imposed included expelling three team members, a $250,000 fine, and a one point penalty for each of the first two races of the Match in which they would otherwise score a point.[42] This last penalty meant that Oracle had to win 11 races to retain the trophy, while New Zealand only needed to win 9 races to lift the cup.


The other thing to consider is that Oracle Corporation CEO and founder Larry Ellison, who is the 3rd or 4th wealthiest American, gave the team a talking to after they were 8-1. Ellison is a ruthless businessman. He has an interest in the samurai warrior and is known to use their tactics in business and has lots of samurai swords in his office and houses. The swords that were used to chop heads off. Ellison is a sailor himself and has been at the helm of lots of big ocean races.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

A bit more on the head of Oracle Racing and Oracle Corporation, Larry Ellison

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/1...y-fear-2012-9?op=1#oracle-ceo-larry-ellison-3

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison

Ellison is well-known for his lavish lifestyle. He's also an incredibly aggressive and ruthless executive. A biographer described him as 'a modern day Genghis Kahn'.
He's known for his incredibly aggressive and hostile takeover maneuvers. During the takeover of PeopleSoft Ellison pre-announced 5,000 firings and repeatedly insulted the then-CEO.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/1...y-fear-2012-9?op=1#oracle-ceo-larry-ellison-3

 

[Relativity]

Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum!

Jeez I consumed some alcohol that night/day. Would have made the front page of The News if I hadn't lagged behind the drinking party that invaded their office early that morning. Great times. Who stops up all night to watch a yacht race ffs?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

A couple of other things, when it was 8-1 it was really 8-3 as the yanks were penalized for winning 2 races because of cheating. When they won race 4 and 8 they stayed on 0 wins. So they effectivley started the comp on negative 2.

Cheating penalty[edit]

An international jury found Oracle Team USA guilty of cheating during the America's Cup warmup event in 2012 when they placed bags of lead pellets in their 45-foot catamarans to add additional weight.[39][40][41] Penalties imposed included expelling three team members, a $250,000 fine, and a one point penalty for each of the first two races of the Match in which they would otherwise score a point.[42] This last penalty meant that Oracle had to win 11 races to retain the trophy, while New Zealand only needed to win 9 races to lift the cup.


The other thing to consider is that Oracle Corporation CEO and founder Larry Ellison, who is the 3rd or 4th wealthiest American, gave the team a talking to after they were 8-1. Ellison is a ruthless businessman. He has an interest in the samurai warrior and is known to use their tactics in business and has lots of samurai swords in his office and houses. The swords that were used to chop heads off. Ellison is a sailor himself and has been at the helm of lots of big ocean races.

But does he have a Hattori Hanzo sword?

 

[FishingRick04]

has anyone actually cared since Australia II won it back in 1983?

I didn't care back then, don't really now.