Twenty Knots

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by colemj

If it is, it will be a rare AC event, as you noted above. Few of them have ever been close, even though many have "memories" of them as being so - with long tacking duals and lots of meaningful maneuvering.

Mark

Besides the 2007 America's Cup races, one of the best single races ever was in 1995 when Australia (using their second slower boat, the one that didn't sink) beat New Zealand's Black Magic to give that boat and crew their only loss of the entire LV Cup or the America's Cup.

There were 44 tacks on the first up wind leg alone. The Australians won the start then tacked right on top of the Kiwis. At times, they were almost dead in the water the tacks came so quickly.

Then in '83, there were some pretty close races especially the final race where Australia II came from behind to win with their new radical wing keeled boat.

[thomm225]

Looks like Spithill is pretty sharp with the monohulls also. Spithill draws a penalty on the competitor before crossing the start/finish line.

L.V.Cup 2007 - LR-OR Day 5: Amazing Prestart of J.Spithill - YouTube

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Looks like Spithill is pretty sharp with the monohulls also. Spithill draws a penalty on the competitor before crossing the start/finish line.

Spithill is Skipper on Luna Rosa. They hold dead still for a while then start backing up even. Very similar to a catamaran race start. Awesome prestart racing! Spithill was 27 years old at the time. Luna Rosa , the slower boat skippered by James Spithill, beat Oracle BMW in that series 5 to 1.

[thomm225]

More on Spithill:

Jimmy Spithill eyes 2nd America's Cup - SFGate

[thomm225]

Pretty awesome:

ORACLE TEAM USA - Fun on Foils - YouTube

[neilpride]

Race 1 and 2 for the Kiwis!!!!!! Oracle 0....

[colemj]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Looks like Spithill is pretty sharp with the monohulls also. Spithill draws a penalty on the competitor before crossing the start/finish line.

Seems like he tried the same tactic in yesterday's races! To me, it seemed like he pushed the issue and actually "flopped" at one point to try to get a penalty call. I thought that was bad form.

Interesting that the first race had an upwind tacking duel with the lead changing twice. Didn't often see that in past AC races.

NBC should have a pox put on them for cutting to long commercial breaks during the actual racing. I counted 5 minutes of the 20 minute racing was out for commercials. It could have been regional, though. Did NBC do that for other regions?

Mark

[colemj]

Originally Posted by neilpride

Race 1 and 2 for the Kiwis!!!!!! Oracle 0....

No, Oracle -2

Mark

[neilpride]

Oh sorry my bad, Saturday race 1 won by the Kiwis, the second one won by the Kiwis. Today more ....

[JPA Cate]

In the SF Bay Area, that 5 min was devoted to commercials, as well.

[barnakiel]

I hated the way Spithill oversteered in race one. What if they got entangled? I am glad nobody got hurt.

In fact, he screwed up big way: he did not not get the Kiwis and he made the US boat dip and lose speed.

I think the umpires made it clear the rules are there to ensure due conduct, not to encourage penalty hunting by the slower boat.

Still, I loved the first race, and I hope now the US team will press Kiwis into a couple of fine duels. This would be great if the wind abated and we could see the other face of the boats. It is clear Kiwis are faster in the blow but this says nothing about the overall picture.

b.

[NZGrant]

Commercials that sux we don't get any during the race here.

[thomm225]

Spithill is just coming up to race speed. He'll be fine.

We can forget about the title of this thread also.

Todays racing had winds 21-25 and as usual there isn't any reefing etc............

[thomm225]

Now Team Oracle USA should be fine with their new strategy. Should we open a new thread called " 25 knots and No Reefing."

Welcome to catamaran racing cruisers..............

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

It is clear Kiwis are faster in the blow

I don't know about that now. Today's race #2 (Sunday) had pretty strong winds, near the upper limit, and the boatspeeds were pretty well matched. In the previous races I think Oracle was sailing downwind deep/slow/direct, and NZ was higher/faster/further, and NZ had the better VMG. I don't know if Oracle was sailing faster or smarter today, but the stronger wind didn't seem to hurt them.

Today's races were really exciting. If we see more like these I think the predictions of boring no-tactics racing will have been proven false.