There is only one…

June 5, 2007

Some interesting statistical info just came out from the Media Centre:

  • There have been 127 races sailed to date in the Louis Vuitton Cup
  • Maximum delta: 11.49 minutes China Team vs Victory Challenge (May 2)
  • Minimum winning delta: 1 second Desafío Español 2007 defeat +39 Challenge (April 30)

1 818 740 visitors to Port America’s Cup for the 2007 season (since April 1)

  • 1 700 hours broadcast in 2007 (up to April 30) in over 150 countries that receive images of the 32nd America’s Cup
  • Audience of 928 million people in 2007 (up to April 30)
  • up to 33 cameras are in use at any one time during racing
  • over 540 people are on-site, employed by rights-holders
  • over 130 ACTV production people
  • 400 hours of production of live TV in 3 galleries

6 000 bottles of Moët & Chandon consumed in Port America’s Cup :D

But the most important number at the America’s Cup remains ‘one’.

There is one winner in each match and each series.

Only one team will win the Louis Vuitton Cup and go on to race Alinghi in the 32nd America’s Cup Match.

This is the America’s Cup and there is no second… anyone excited?

5 Comments | Alinghi, America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, Facts, Luna Rossa, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Television, Valencia, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by paulnz

Good start more crucial than ever to America’s Cup success

May 19, 2007

The objective of the challenger series is to prepare a challenger to go up against the defender and beat them.

Although we have seen challenger series in the past where one team has been completely dominant and gone on to win the cup, like Team New Zealand in 1995, the harder the challenger series is, the better prepared the challenger will be.

Given the front end of this regatta was a disaster, with the wind conditions and the delays, now that we are in the semifinals the teams are getting some good, tough, competition.

There are two schools of thought on that, though. If you win your semifinal match easily, say 5-1 or 5-2, you do get the bonus of saving your equipment and people. You buy a bit of time, which is valuable at this stage.

If you have to fight it out right to the end you become race hardened, but at the same time it is tough on your equipment and your people. Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a Comment » | Alinghi, America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Desafio Espanol, Emirates Team New Zealand, Facts, IACC, Luna Rossa, New Zealand, Newspaper Stories, Oracle BMW Racing, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

Thoughts On Oracle…

April 29, 2007

Gilles Martin-Raget
Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

I think there is enough floating around to think they have done something inside the boat to enhance the performance. You’d be naive to think they haven’t. Have they got a silver bullet in their armoury? Maybe.

USA98 would be the boat of preference at the moment. I don’t see anything with that piece of kit that looks vulnerable.

They have sailed around boats that Team New Zealand have not been able to. They made Mascalzone Latino look average, boat-speed wise, and tactically. New Zealand couldn’t do that.

They do appear, when they get in a tight spot, to be able to push forward. Gavin Brady has fallen back into tactician’s role, they look formidable.

For the other challengers, when Dickson is in the right head space there is no one better. With their manoeuvres they haven’t made a mistake but you would expect that, they have a solid Kiwi crew.

4 Comments | America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Facts, Oracle BMW Racing, Sailing, Sports, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

Who on Earth Chose this Place?

April 23, 2007

By Julie Ash and Peter Lester
Just when it looked like we were finally getting going racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup ground to another halt.

The wind was a no show yesterday postponing racing again.

Given there is data to say this is not entirely unusual the question on everyone’s lips is who on earth chose this venue?

Someone needs to explain? It is getting dire.

Yesterday one of the television commentators decided to look up the word ‘calm’ in the thesaurus.

Reading out the options, the last one listed was wind-less. And that folks sums up Valencia, the location of the 32nd America’s Cup.

Given that we have only completed two flights in six days at this rate the round robin competition will not be completed until mid July.

The problem is the America’s Cup starts on June 23.

6 Comments | America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, Facts, IACC, New Zealand, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Weather, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

IACC Facts and Figures

March 14, 2007

For all you fact finders out there, here are some of the key facts in the International America’s Cup Class (IACC) rule. I commonly use this information to suppliment my commentary, might be of interest.

  • Overall Length – 24m (80ft)
  • Measured Length – 20.1 – 20.4 (measurement made 200mm above waterline)
  • Beam – 3.4 – 4.0m (maximum allowed 4.5)
  • Weight – 24T (most boats within 1 ton of max)
  • Draft – 4.1m max
  • Sail Area – 300–330sqm total for working sails, mainsail 200-220sqm, genoa 150sqm, jib non overlap, 105sqm Spinnaker/Genoa 1.5 x total of the working sail = 450sqm– 475sqm
  • Sail Weights – mainsails 100kgs, genoa 60kgs, spinnakers 30–40kg, total max for sails 650kg
  • Sail Codes – genoa 0=1-3kts, 1=4-10kts, 2=10-16kts, 3=15-19kts, 4=18-21kts, 5=20-26kts
  • Spinnaker pole length – J x 1.35 = 11m – 11.4m
  • J measurement (leading edge of mast, to forestay tack attachment) 8.1m – 8.5m
  • Crew weight – 1570kg max (92kg average, 17 crew)
  • Gear weight – 1000kg including sails, sailing weight 850kgs, need to allow for wet gear if checked, in addition allowed a water allowance, 25kg tolerance.
  • Mast weight – 750kgs minimum including rigging
  • Mast height above deck – 100ft
  • Keel fin weight – 1 T +
  • Keel bulb weight – 20 T max (80% of sailing weight in the bulb)
  • Boat weight (hull, deck, fittings, mast) – 3 T

Leave a Comment » | America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Facts, IACC, Sailing, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

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