Well here’s the news:
AMERICA’S CUP TEAMS VOTE TO DOWNSIZE BOATS
See how that works? Our local, corrupt, Larry Ellison cheerleaders of the pre-2013 era praised the new big boats – they were going to Change Everything.
But things turned out deadly, and poorly for San Francisco.
And now, even Chuck Nevius, who saw “no downside” to granting 99-year leases to Larry Ellison, is against the AC.
So that’s good, but there’s always the threat of the 2020 Cup or whatever coming back, right? So let’s check in on how things are going in Bermuda these days:
America’s Cup teams have voted to reduce the size of boats to be sailed in the 2017 regatta in Bermuda, a cost-cutting move that could lead to the two strongest challengers dropping out.
So Larry Ellison gets to have his fun and increase his already-high chances of winning (defenders win 90-something percent of the time, historically) a game where he sets the rules.
And while smaller boats would mean reduced costs and a smaller crew, they could also mean less excitement for spectators. The 48-foot (14.65 meter) catamarans will be the smallest boats in America’s Cup history and aren’t that much bigger than other one-design classes sailed in less-prestigious regattas.
Oh, OK. So what was the deadly accident in 2013* for then? Mmm…
And here’s the purpose:
If Italy and New Zealand drop out, Oracle Team USA would conceivably have an easier shot at retaining the Auld Mug trophy.
Oh, and speaking of Frisco’s 2013 America’s Cup:
cheating scandal
Yep. That was our local “Wind God’s” scandal. He wants praise for his management, but he doesn’t want any criticism for his mismanagement, oh well.
And this is what I mean when I say that the America’s Cup isn’t a sport:
America’s Cup czar Russell Coutts, a New Zealander who heads both Oracle Team USA and the America’s Cup Event Authority, has verbally sparred with both the Kiwis and Italians in recent years.
Of course, CWNevius had just moved to town back in aught-ten when he started heedlessly / needlessly waving his pom-poms for what he called a “gigantic, global sporting event.”
But it aint no sport, and it aint gigantic. It’s just a match race betwixt Gentlemen, with the rules made by Larry Ellison, for his amusement.
And then he’ll try to send the bill to us, if we let him.
Anyway, as even Chuck Nevius might admit, in hindsight, you know, after it was too late, the vaunted boats were too big, and the whole thing was too expensive, for us. Let’s hope we never see Lil’ Larry’s boat race ever again…
*I suppose there was an investigation, of sorts. But in other countries where AC teams come from, there would have been charges of omicidio colposo or homicide involontaire, non?
