America's Cup

[ellipsis]

...i still want the fast boat with no sails to win...that really would be most spectacular for the whole of mankind...well,for those that know what a yacht is...or what the America's Cup is or what real food looks like or those who may be influenced one way or another to give a fuck...Dean may go out there and slay the opposition tomorrow...then we can get on with the nationals and the elections and christmas and...and...and....being a little country with some extremely clever people who mostly spend their time and money over in other countries...GO!, Team Emulate New Zealand...thats the fast one with no sails, I think?...

[onearmedbandit]

What's more embarrassing than losing the cup from a 8-1 advantage?

Listening to all the Kiwi's who at 8-1 were calling the cup ours already and immortalising Dean Barker who are now rubbishing the team, calling them chokers and calling for Barkers head.

The way I see it, good on ETNZ. They dominated in the lead-up to the cup to make it to the finals. The dominated Oracle in the first 10 races, forcing Oracle to make changes just to keep in the game. There is no reason for any NZ'er to hold their head low if we lose tomorrow. Oh unless you are the quintessential 'Kiwi' whose self-belief rides in the ability of others to make you feel significant.

[phill-k]

What's more embarrassing than losing the cup from a 8-1 advantage?

Listening to all the Kiwi's who at 8-1 were calling the cup ours already and immortalising Dean Barker who are now rubbishing the team, calling them chokers and calling for Barkers head.

The way I see it, good on ETNZ. They dominated in the lead-up to the cup to make it to the finals. The dominated Oracle in the first 10 races, forcing Oracle to make changes just to keep in the game. There is no reason for any NZ'er to hold their head low if we lose tomorrow. Oh unless you are the quintessential 'Kiwi' whose self-belief rides in the ability of others to make you feel significant.

Good post oab, ETNZ are now up against a team who have reached their potential, team and boat wise, they were very slow to the start but have developed at an incredible pace, and now the cup is theirs for the taking, Spithill has done a brilliant job turning his team around. Dean Barker has also, he has extracted 100% from his team and his boat at the end of the day this was also about new designs and technology, we have reached our teams zenith Oracle may still be a notch away from theirs, WE HAVE NOT CHOKED simply it is now coming down to the best package.

[ac3_snow]

help for Oracle arrived from New Zealand via experts and equipment from Core Builders Composites in Warkworth.

The company is a 100 per cent-owned subsidiary of Oracle, producing the wingsails, foils and appendages for the AC72s. It also built the smaller AC45s that were at the centre of Oracle's cheating scandal.

This is an interesting article about the kiwis who helped Oracle improve their boat
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/america...Cup-resurgence

Also read somewhere else that Oracle have had the 'measurement team' examine their boat for re-certification 15 times, NZ have not been idle though going through the same 8 times. Information about the actual changes made is not publicly available.

Still holding out hope that we can bring it home tomorrow!

[MisterD]

What's more embarrassing than losing the cup from a 8-1 advantage?

Getting emotionally involved with one Auckland-built boat because it's got a picture of a Buzzy Bee on it, versus another Auckland-built boat which doesn't?

I reckon this is a bit of a Pyrrhic victory for Ellison. Win the cup and kill the comp because nobody wants to match budgets with you.

[rickstv]

Name and shame the 14 bastards who flew up to San Fran to make the yank boat go fast.

These buggers are the ones who may spoil the opportunity of lots of boat refits and sales to overseas clients for the next 5 years.

May even be their own jobs that suffer, good job.

And don't forget all the revamping of the waterfront East of Westhaven that may not now go ahead.

Rick.

[Paul in NZ]

What's more embarrassing than losing the cup from a 8-1 advantage?

Listening to all the Kiwi's who at 8-1 were calling the cup ours already and immortalising Dean Barker who are now rubbishing the team, calling them chokers and calling for Barkers head.

The way I see it, good on ETNZ. They dominated in the lead-up to the cup to make it to the finals. The dominated Oracle in the first 10 races, forcing Oracle to make changes just to keep in the game. There is no reason for any NZ'er to hold their head low if we lose tomorrow. Oh unless you are the quintessential 'Kiwi' whose self-belief rides in the ability of others to make you feel significant.

Yup - quite right.

The whole thing has gone from yawn to must watch... Drama all right... Has to be the most interesting yachting tussle of all time so no shame in coming second... Having said that I really feel for the NZ guys... Must be wondering what else they can do?

[Paul in NZ]

Name and shame the 14 bastards who flew up to San Fran to make the yank boat go fast.

These buggers are the ones who may spoil the opportunity of lots of boat refits and sales to overseas clients for the next 5 years.

May even be their own jobs that suffer, good job.

And don't forget all the revamping of the waterfront East of Westhaven that may not now go ahead.

Rick.

Oh come off it... There will be shed loads of work for people who want fast high tech boats. As for revamping a bit of Auckland waterfront... Seriously???

[oldrider]

Oracle has always looked as if it should be fast but now that it is, how would it cope with one of these? http://www.radiosport.co.nz/video/vi...-august18-2013

Could make all the difference in that last crucial race and determine the overall result ... it's never over till it's over!

[Edbear]

Name and shame the 14 bastards who flew up to San Fran to make the yank boat go fast.

These buggers are the ones who may spoil the opportunity of lots of boat refits and sales to overseas clients for the next 5 years.

May even be their own jobs that suffer, good job.

And don't forget all the revamping of the waterfront East of Westhaven that may not now go ahead.

Rick.

Yup - quite right.

The whole thing has gone from yawn to must watch... Drama all right... Has to be the most interesting yachting tussle of all time so no shame in coming second... Having said that I really feel for the NZ guys... Must be wondering what else they can do?

More proof that NZ leads the world in yachting, both in design/build and in matching the best of the best as sailors. Larry Ellison knows that and he's invested a lot of USD in setting up the Warkworth factory to the benefit of local talent and jobs. If he's a fair man, he will give credit where credit is due.

[phill-k]

Oracle has always looked as if it should be fast but now that it is, how would it cope with one of these? http://www.radiosport.co.nz/video/vi...-august18-2013

Could make all the difference in that last crucial race and determine the overall result ... it's never over till it's over!

Thats exactly what is being said they have emulated team NZ and in lots of ways found last minute tweaks to improve including adding more buoyancy to their bows, whether it is enough to prevent a nose dive one doesn't know but if you watch them around the top mark they do back off / depower the wing a little they also did the same nosedive but in their case pitchpoled. The reason for adding buoyancy in their bows though was to assist upwind performance not to prevent pitchpoling.

[Mental Trousers]

What's more embarrassing than losing the cup from a 8-1 advantage?

Listening to all the Kiwi's who at 8-1 were calling the cup ours already and immortalising Dean Barker who are now rubbishing the team, calling them chokers and calling for Barkers head.

Too right.

[oldrider]

Thats exactly what is being said they have emulated team NZ and in lots of ways found last minute tweaks to improve including adding more buoyancy to their bows, whether it is enough to prevent a nose dive one doesn't know but if you watch them around the top mark they do back off / depower the wing a little they also did the same nosedive but in their case pitchpoled. The reason for adding buoyancy in their bows though was to assist upwind performance not to prevent pitchpoling.

Interesting stuff, no doubt about it, every delay (and there were lots of them) was certainly maximised by the total Oracle team!

Credit to their improvement for their (on board) team work during that time they certainly have improved remarkably there!

Still every improvement they find also raises the risk element while they are sailing so I guess ETNZ's best chance now is to maintain pressure and hope for some failure!

Negative I know but when all else fails and your $$$$'s and time run out, what else is there?

Extreme conditions would probably best favour ETNZ for that last race so that there is pressure from all directions ... it's a long shot but!

[Maha]

The 14 (or however many) people that went up to San Francisco from here, are employees of Team Oracle, it's their job. This time tomorrow, they will still have a job.

ETNZ no longer deserve to win, I still hold out hope that they do, but Oracle have beaten them 10 races to 8 on the water...if it were not for the penalties the regatta would be over by now.

Oracle clearly have the better team and marginally better boat.

[awa355]

Name and shame the 14 bastards who flew up to San Fran to make the yank boat go fast.

These buggers are the ones who may spoil the opportunity of lots of boat refits and sales to overseas clients for the next 5 years.

May even be their own jobs that suffer, good job.

And don't forget all the revamping of the waterfront East of Westhaven that may not now go ahead.

Rick.

You could get your own TVshow with a dumbass atitude like that.

Professional sports people and technicians are entitled to go and work anywhere. NZ would never win a bloody thing if it wasn't for the knowledge and experience gained ( and bought home ) by kiwis working with international teams in all kinds of sports.

I still believe in the NZ teams ability to win tomorrow.