Aiming for the perfect start
19 December. The start has always been crucial to success in competitive sailing. In most sailboat races, where boats start on an upwind course, the danger of starting late is that you end up getting ‘bad air’ off your rival. Unlike cycling, there’s no advantage of sitting in someone’s slipstream for reduced windage – not when the wind is your source of power! Read more
Final EIR Certified
17 December. Over the past two days, both the San Francisco Planning Commission and the San Francisco Port Commission voted unanimously to certify the Final Environmental Impact Report on the 34th America’s Cup.
Key changes to the original project include the preservation of Bay views from Rincon Point, additional mitigation measures to further reduce air quality impacts and a reduced scope of vehicle lane closure along the Embarcadero. Read more
America’s Cup Uncovered – Episode 21
America’s Cup Uncovered Episode 21 concludes the story of 2011 with a look back to the action from America’s Cup World Series San Diego with dramatic finishes in both the Fleet and Match Racing Championships where ORACLE Racing Spithill came out with a double championship win. Then we tap into a private phone conversation with Emirates Team NZ’s Managing Director Grant Dalton where he discusses sharing AC72 design information with Luna Rossa. But not before checking in with the LiveLine team. Stan Honey Director of Technology for America’s Cup Event Authority tells us about the LiveLine evolution and the technology used to enhance the viewing experience for the fans. Watch the episode
Olympic Apprentices
12 December. Since the introduction of the AC45 to the America’s Cup World Series, there has been an influx of Olympic talent the like of which has never been seen before in the America’s Cup.
When the Cup was contested in large keelboats, the prime recruiting ground was from the grand prix world of keelboat racing. Big guys with lots of keelboat experience were in demand. But now with the lighter, nimbler and aerobically demanding catamarans, both the 45 and 72-foot varieties, younger sailors from the Olympic scene are now top of the wish list for most teams. Read more
The Italian job
8 December. Although racing doesn’t resume until April, that doesn’t mean the regatta organizers are on holiday. Reps from ACRM and ACEA have been on a reconnaissance trip through Italy to check out the Naples and Venice venues