America's Cup yachting is one of my favorite sports to watch (believe it or not).
This is now going to be my "BLAKE RULES" thread, so to speak. I will keep it going until the Cup starts....
-JD
<small>[ July 02, 2002, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: JD Heel ]</small>
BTTT
Does anyone else care about this? If so, do you know anything about the next competition?
-JD
<Sigh> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />
Well, I knew the answer -- but I was just hoping to draw some other conversation in here....
The Round Robins start in October of this year, and the Finals are set for February 2003.
I don't know why I'm drawn to the sport so much -- I don't know the least bit about sailing. I mean, I've watched every Cup religiously since I was in middle school, so I know a lot of the technical terms and I know some of the strategy... but only as an "armchair skipper", so to speak.
Still, something draws me to it and I'm not the least bit bored by watching two boats gliding through the water at what looks like a turtle's pace. Go figure....
-JD
Dangit, Nate! I thought you were posting about the America's Cup.... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />
Well, that served as a BTTT, so I can't complain.
-JD
Quick recap on the America's Cup for those of you who know nothing:
First of all, this is the oldest trophy in sports -- now into its 151st year.
Secondly, the races are run in this format: 1) round-robin races for defender and challenger series, 2) the defender and challenger finals, and then 3) the America's Cup finals.
The defender series is a competition between all the teams of the host country. Usually, the team that won the Cup last time wins the defender trials. The Challenger Series is a competition in itself because it is between teams from all the other countries of the world. The winner of the Challenge Series wins the Louis Vitton Cup and the right to face the host country for the America's Cup.
The United States has won the trophy all but three times in its existence. The first time America ever lost the trophy was in 1983, the 132nd year of the trophy's existence. It was one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Four years later, the skipper that lost the trophy -- Dennis Connor -- won it back for America.
The other two American losses have been to New Zealand in the past two Cups. The Kiwis won for the first time in 1995 with superior technology and expert teamwork. Then, in 2000, America lost to Italy in the Louis Vitton finals and didn't even make it to the America's Cup finals, for the first time in history.
Presently, New Zealand holds the Cup.
-JD
Dennis Connor, "the man" in America's Cup racing history:
-JD
We're back up! So, let me BTTT this thread....
-JD
For your Christmas list?
[Do you think Terpy would mind if we called "his" icon the "sailor" icon? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> ]
Is that a video or a book (either way, I bet it's awesome)?
From now on, I will use Terpy's icon as the "sailor icon" whenever I make a post about the America's Cup. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
-JD
By the way: "the Eagle is in flight." <img border="0" alt="[laugh]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" />
-JD
Nice coffee table book.
And I'll let you know when "the Eagle" makes a safe landing... <img border="0" alt="[laugh]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" />
Here's the Cup in better detail:
And here's a nice movie with some breathtaking cinematography:
I think it simplifies the entire process of the Cup somewhat -- and adds some Hollywood to it, of course -- but this is still a good movie and a great starting point for an America's Cup novice.
-JD
Some images of
Black Magic, the masterful Kiwi boat:
-JD
Russell Coutts, who skippered the last two New Zealand America's Cup victories, left the Kiwi team shortly after the 2000 Cup and joined the Swiss Alinghi team.
On June 12th, Coutts was narrowly defeated by Dean Barker and his old New Zealand team in the final of the Omega Seamaster Cup -- the first time Coutts has faced his old teammates since the 2000 Cup.
-JD
Here are the teams for the 2003 America's Cup:
Defender
Team New Zealand, New Zealand
Challengers (Louis Vitton Cup competitors)
One World Challenge, United States
Team Dennis Conner, United States
Oracle Racing, United States
Prada, Italy
Mascalzone Latino Challenge, Italy
Alingni Swiss Challenge, Switzerland
GBR Challenge, Great Britain
Victory Challenge, Sweden
Le Devi Areva, France
Illbruck Challenge, Germany
-JD
<a href="http://www.americascup.com/t2template.aspx?t2=http://www.tree.net.nz//dscgi/ds.py/GetRepr/File-4613/html" target="_blank">Conner yacht sinks off California coast</a>
24 July, 2002
AmericaOne and Prada Challenge (Italy) race in the Louis Vuitton Cup finals in 2000:
The crew of
Luna Rossa (Prada's boat) celebrates after their Louis Vuitton victory over the Americans:
The 2000 America's Cup finals were the first in history without an American team.
Racing in the Louis Vuitton challenger series begins in October....
-JD
Here's the format for the Louis Vuitton Cup:
-JD
Victory Challenge suffers tragic loss
21 August, 2002
The Louis Vuitton Cup round-robins start in 4 days!!!
-JD