Americas Cup anyone watching this?

[Fab Foodie]

J Class' were like these things though in their day.

J Class were exquisitely beautiful and elegant though when compared to modern mono-hull racing yachts.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

J Class were exquisitely beautiful and elegant though when compared to modern mono-hull racing yachts.

Yes, they and the tea clippers were probably the most beautiful sailing boats ever made.

 

[thom]

What a comeback !

 

[Phil485]

good race, good series. Definetly a game changer for sailing as a whole.

My Tornado used to be quick, want an upgrade now....

 

[Scoosh]

More fascinating extreme foiling cat sailing here - what is known in sailing circles as the 'Little America's Cup', the international C Class catamaran Championships.

Frank Cammas and his green Groupama are foiling nicely and very quickly, while the Swiss Hydros teams haven't quite got it together yet - but they look gorgeous !

 

[RhythMick]

Incredible win from 8-1 down. Ainslie seems to have been the key

 

[asterix]

I used to enjoy a bit of America's Cup stuff when they sailed in proper yachts.

Agreed.

The odd thing is that these multihulls suddenly make it seem that sailing is exciting when it wasn't before.

The old J-class still remain and quite a few replicas have been built this century so it is still possible to see them sail. In any kind of wind it is an unforgettable sight to witness their graceful speed and power.

However, the real duels took place between the giant cutters of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras when the fanatical German Kaiser determined to beat his uncle the future Edward VII. Those were a war of nerves when the leviathans were taken to within inches of collision and beyond. The slightest error could literally prove fatal e.g. Spithead regatta 1895.

Ben Ainslie maintains one tradition as during that era, British racing crews were regarded as the best, picked as they were from the fishermen of the S. and East coasts but by comparison with the old giants, modern craft are like butterflies.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I wonder if that would work for a rowing 8. Drag the Oxford Cambridge boat race into the current century and get it over quicker.

Nooooooo

 

[ASC1951]

Incredible win from 8-1 down. Ainslie seems to have been the key

Important, certainly, but not quite the Beeb's "win for Ainslie's Oracle":-
- he was already on the boat
- the US technicians crawled all over Oracle after race (10?) and got a consistent 2-3 kt extra speed out of it for the rest of the series
- Emirates would have won the series but for a slight and temporary increase in wind speed - I forget which race - a few seconds before they crossed the start line. If that increase had been 30 seconds later that race wouldn't have been called off.

But gripping stuff! Those huge catamarans are unbelievable and the organisers understand the impact of on-board cameras.

 

[ASC1951]

I wonder if that would work for a rowing 8. Drag the Oxford Cambridge boat race into the current century and get it over quicker.

Why bother? The Boat Race is a fairly low key event these days, unless some delusional nobber like Trenton Oldfield gets involved.

 

[Aperitif]

Because it would be a laugh.

And it would be oarsome! Imagine the length of those things with the hulls way up o'er The Thames.
AND they would get to wear helmets too!

 

[Scoosh]

Match Racing finals of C Class Championships on now (then choose LiveVideo) - though not enough wind to foil at the mo' ...

 

[dellzeqq]

BRIT HERO WINS AMERICA'S CUP

 

[threebikesmcginty]

And it would be oarsome! Imagine the length of those things with the hulls way up o'er The Thames.
AND they would get to wear helmets too!

Utter rollocks!

 

[Dayvo]

BRIT HERO WINS AMERICA'S CUP

Looks like Chuck Norris and his twin brother were in the USA crew.

Hang on, there are THREE of them. Chuck has been cloned so the US can win.