Oracle wins 7th straight in America's Cup

[BigDUSA 71]

I'm not that familiar with the America's Cup race. I consider a 7th consecutive victory amazing. Well done.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I'm not that familiar with the America's Cup race. I consider a 7th consecutive victory amazing. Well done.

 

It was actually 8 consecutive victories; from being 8-1 down, to winning 9-8. It was basically a World 11 v a NZ 11 and it was on at an odd time for Thailand, so I only really caught it on the news. I was otherwise engrossed watching the US guy winning La Vuelta and the Thai women doing their thing in the volleyball.

[MM 6,562]

I think I just read something saying the Oracle craft was captained and crewed (for the most part?) by an Aussie crew.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[LasRobos 270]

I think I just read something saying the Oracle craft was captained and crewed (for the most part?) by an Aussie crew.Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4

There was only one American on the crew. The captain was Aussie and I believe the boat was built in New Zealand!

 

But the money (Oracle Corp) was American!

[MM 6,562]

There was only one American on the crew. The captain was Aussie and I believe the boat was built in New Zealand!

 

But the money (Oracle Corp) was American!

 

That's an American victory in name only...hollow in reality.

 

Well done to the Aussies then.

[Fatboyfat 361]

It's been a bit of a hit back here in the UK with good live coverage by Sky sports, and Sir Ben Ainslie's part in turning the 8-1 deficit into a win. Mind the politics and continuous stream of lawsuits in this competition, let alone the money involved makes Formula One look like an amateur demolition derby by comparison. Sport in the very loosest of terms!

[atlas2 4,329]

There was only one American on the crew. The captain was Aussie and I believe the boat was built in New Zealand!

 

But the money (Oracle Corp) was American!

 

 

Like it or not, it's the way sport is going. Look at the 'English' cricket team named for the next Ashes tour. Or any English Premiership side, not so much for the English to feel proud about. Often it's not even English money involved, apart from the punters at the turnstiles. F1 is a fine example of international co-operation: engines from one country, constructors another, drivers yet another.

 

Nevertheless it has been exciting to watch a fantastic comeback and it has certainly put this competition on the map for people who previously thought a race called 'The America's Cup' had nothing to do with them........Ironically many more Americans are thinking the exact opposite today.

Edited September 28, 2013 by atlas2

[LasRobos 270]

Like most Americans I never pay much attention to America's Cup and was only mildly interested this time around given the incredible comeback. However I am with MM and don't feel like its much of a victory for the U.S. and I'll probably go back to ignoring this in the future like most in this country.

[jacko 8,822]

There was only one American on the crew. The captain was Aussie and I believe the boat was built in New Zealand!

 

But the money (Oracle Corp) was American!

In the UK press the contribution by Sir Ben Ainslie is being printed in bold.

He does have a strong sailing history and the fact that a 8-1 deficit and what was looking to be a humiliating defeat for team USA was turned around after he came on board seems to confirm he contributed well.

 

It was a case of American money and not-know-how!

 

My only fear, since BigD posted this, will we see another Lance Armstrong kiss of death result in the long term?

Edited September 29, 2013 by jacko

[teelack 9,645]

It was a brilliant regatta and went to the final bell with the last scheduled race the decider. I saw every race and reflected that in the past I would have called it 'Watching Paint Dry" but this was spectacular.

 

In the final analysis it was a disaster in that the money required to compete kept most people away and only three teams competed. It is thought that Ellison spent up to one billion dollars on the defence!

 

There really is no future for a sport where talent comes second to money.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

In the UK press the contribution by Sir Ben Ainslie is being printed in bold.

He does have a strong sailing history and the fact that a 8-1 deficit and what was looking to be a humiliating defeat for team USA was turned around after he came on board seems to confirm he contributed well.

 

He came "on board" after race 5, with the score at 4-0 and lost four of his first six races with the team, so he didn't have the immediate impact that some of the UK press would have you believe. I think there were was also a couple of New Zealanders in the America team.

[The Mook 105]

It was a brilliant regatta and went to the final bell with the last scheduled race the decider. I saw every race and reflected that in the past I would have called it 'Watching Paint Dry" but this was spectacular.

 

In the final analysis it was a disaster in that the money required to compete kept most people away and only three teams competed. It is thought that Ellison spent up to one billion dollars on the defence!

 

There really is no future for a sport where talent comes second to money.

 

Mr.E spent 100 million

[teelack 9,645]

I am sure that if I kept looking I would find the amount mentioned however this week Forbes wrote:

 

As the Cup defender, Ellison got to choose the yachts for the next contest and he stuck with multihulls, distressing traditionalists who favored single-hulled boats. He also pushed for massive changes in the sport of sailing, creating electronic boundary lines for the racecourse and equipping the boats with lights and monitors and using on-course penalties instead of the traditional after-race protest hearing. He spent an estimated $300 million on the series, including two 72-footers (one capsized and was almost destroyed in the training phase) and elaborate television production facilities for coverage that went mostly unwatched in the U.S., where sailing is still a niche sport.

 

 

Mr.E spent 100 million

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I am sure that if I kept looking I would find the amount mentioned however this week Forbes wrote:

 

Bloomberg put the figure at 100m.

 

"Ellison spent more than a decade and hundreds of millions of dollars to win the trophy off Valencia, Spain in 2010 and Oracle ran another $100 million campaign this cycle".

 

CBS at 500m over the last 11 years.

 

 

"There were hugs and handshakes after he steered the cat across the finish line, 44 seconds ahead of Team New Zealand. Ellison, who has spent an estimated $500 million the last 11 years in pursuing, winning and now defending the silver trophy, hopped on board and the crew sprayed him with champagne."