MacGregorSailors.com

The faster boat won,

The true test of sportsmanship will be in about a year when they publish the hosting and rules for the next cup.

Larry is no dummy, and knows how to market things.

Allinghi specifying only 3 races and on that venue was a concession up front that bertarelli knew his boat was not faster, and he knew that a full 7 race series was coming out of his pocket.

when that race hits the americas again, there will be lots of racing, and many countries competing.
The simple reason is......... more money changes hands for a full series.

I enjoyed watching the big multi hulls. It was different....... but so cool.
They were also doing three X wind speed upwind btw.
Of course such boats are not practical for sailors such as us, but neither are $200k NASCARS. However, these are areas where innovation and new tech come from, in many cases. If not for auto racing, we'd still be driving model Ts. I think high tech sail racing has it's place. That is really what AC was about in the early days, if you think about it. "America" was, in 1851, the highest tech and fastest sailboat ever.

The deed of gift challenge is usually very different that the normal way the race is done and I look forward to several countries being involved again, in the future. Not every country would be able to afford over $100,000,000.00 for a single boat, so hopefully rules for the next cup race will address this. When rules get burried in tradition, progress and innovation can't happen. There must be a balance, imho.

I like to cruise....... but I love to sail fast also.
I got to drive "Stars & Stripes" (America #54???) for about three hours last year and it was a blast. I'd love to get a chance to drive "BMW Oracle" once. Imagine being at the wheel, 20 feet off the water, with that 234 foot wing sail above, doing 30knts. All I can say is WOW!