New Blogs!

July 5, 2007

We have just introduced Stuart Alexander and Bob Fisher to the blogosphere- go check out their blogs!

Stuart Alexander
Stuart keeps the readers of The Independent sports section updated on every shift in the direction of the wind, with an analytical mind second to none. He is aiming to cover both yachting and rugby with his blog. http://www.stuartalexander.eu/

Bob Fisher
Bob has had his finger on the pulse of sailing for years, and has covered every America’s Cup since 1967. He currently writes for The Observer and The Guardian as well as Sail World. His book “Americas Cup, An Absorbing Interest” is probably the best history of the America’s Cup, right back to 1851. http://www.fishersailing.com/

2 Comments | Americas Cup, Rugby, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by paulnz

Farewell from Valencia

July 4, 2007

Well what a race to end the America’s Cup.

One second – one measly second.

Off the line it was a good start from Dean Barker but Alinghi, in a compromised position, hung on.

The race was a classic day of how powerful it was to be on the right hand side of your opposition. The power was really on the right on the upwinds. Sailing on the left, New Zealand on both upwind legs were bow forward but were unable to capitalise on that.

On the downwind Team New Zealand did well to roll Alinghi on the first run. At the bottom mark gate, maybe if we look back in two races, the Kiwis took the right hand gate looking down and got passed on both times. How significant that might be.

The last downwind was bizarre. At the top mark Alinghi did a dial down. The boat on starboard has the rights, which was Alinghi. The dial down was a set move. Alinghi had practised it. Alinghi dialed down when the New Zealanders dialed down and held their course. Team New Zealand were ruled not to have kept clear. It was a penalty.

What a race it was.

As you can imagine Team New Zealand were distraught. But they have plenty to be proud of. They have come so far since 2003. Grant Dalton’s leadership has been tremendous and Dean Barker will leave this cup as one of the best helmsman in the game.

They just have to go on…

Thanks to you all for dropping by, we certainly hope you have enjoyed the racing and its been great to be able to bring it to you. When we started this little blog we were unsure of how it would do – its had 90,000 page views since we started and has been a storming success thanks for you all.

I’ll aim to keep the blog running over the coming months, so stay tuned :)

In the meantime, we all need a holiday. I will be flying with Paul tomorrow to Bodrum in Turkey to spend some time with Ergin and the Provezza guys. I will also be joing my wife Susie, and the boys, Ryan and Sean who are already there.

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

Weather 3/7

July 3, 2007

Today is going to be a scorcher here, there is not a cloud in the sky. Its pretty light now (10am) but expect the heat to build and maintain a decent (12-14 knot) onshore breeze throughout the day.

Forecast: Starts south southeasterly 10-12 knots early in the afternoon then builds to 13-15knots and backs to southeast. Later in the afternoon continues to build 15-16 knots as the direction returns to south southeast. Broken high cloud and much hotter – Temperature 32 degrees

47 Comments | Americas Cup, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Weather, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by paulnz

Delay could be a blessing for Team NZ

July 3, 2007

Well being a layday it is all quiet in the America’s Cup port today.

Yesterday’s postponement and today’s layday could bode well for Team New Zealand. It will give them a chance to regroup. Alinghi being on a roll would probably have liked to charge on.

Every day we get a lot of messages from people wishing Team New Zealand well. Here is one which sums up the feeling of a lot of people from Jan Zhang.

“Whatever what is going to happen next, they have done a great job. This is from the managers to our boys are on the boat, include everyone. We are all so proud of them. They have done a great job in the past to now.

They have represented a whole nation not only themselves. They made us proud of ourselves as New Zealanders. We just would like them to relax and don’t worry about anything, so they can achieve the best result on the day.

We all know they cannot control everything. I am sure most of New Zealanders will support them to go to the next one even if they don’t bring the cup back this time. No need to worry anything.

We would like to say thanks to them for bringing the nation together because their outstanding performance.”

The forecast for race seven is for 10 -12 knots building to 15-17.

The replica of America sailed into the port today. America won the 100 pound Cup which became the America’s Cup. The real America perished 1942. This one was built in the 1960s.

Leave a Comment » | America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Weather, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

Weather gods smile on Dalton

July 2, 2007

How cool would Grant Dalton have felt today having thousands of people singing him happy birthday.

The Team New Zealand boss was 50 today. When the black boat eased past, thousands of people broke into happy birthday.

The weather gods decided Dalton needed a day off to celebrate his coming of age, so opted not to deliver any breeze. With tomorrow a lay day, the two-day break may work in the Kiwis favour.

The situation was not ideal for Alinghi who would have loved to have won the event today being a Sunday in Valencia where the America’s Cup port was packed. Instead the red and white coloured winners podium, which has been created, had to be towed back to the side of the canal as the wait to find a winner continues.

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

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