Editorial- It's game on!

by .. on 16 Apr 2007

Spectacular Boat Parade for the 32nd America´s Cup ACM 2007/Carlo Borlenghi

Welcome to the Monday edition of Sail-World.Com/Australian newsletter

Lots of Australian sailing news from the weekend. Double handed Osaka race has sensationally become a single hander, Magnetic Island Race Week NOR, CYCA Ladies Day, Veterans Race, Australian Blind Match racing, Short Handed Trans Tasman and Queensland Youth titles - and there is a Victorian HP Coaching position available.

Tonight (Australian time) the talking stops and the sailing starts in the 32nd America’s Cup.

In the new shortened Cup format, seven of the 11 teams have just three weeks left in Valencia.

There are some very mixed views about the 32nd America’s Cup as a venue and a format. Our Sail-World columnist, Bob Fisher, doesn’t pull any punches with his comments on the venue. Luna Rossa’s Patrizo Bertelli, the most experienced team boss and now in his third Cup campaign, is pretty blunt about the format.

However BMW Oracle’s Larry Ellison likes it and he is stealing some lime-light.

Whatever your views on the format, BMW Oracle Racing has stolen a march on the other challengers with the choice of German supermodel Tatjana Patitz as their 18th 'man' for the opening round. Patitz who was borm in Germany but lives in California, very neatly covering the dual sponor hertitage of BMW Oracle Racing.

Tomorrow Sail-World launches the first of our daily newsletters on the America’s Cup which will give you the key results, photos and stories from the day’s racing, plus expert analysis from Bob Fisher, who has been covering sailing and America’s Cup for almost 40 years and is a top sailor in his own right. Bob is renowned for his independent perspective on Cup and sailing matters, and he doesn’t hold back in today’s column.

Sadly, most of the Challengers will have been eliminated from the new format Louis Vuitton Cup in just three weeks time. © ACM2007/Steffano Gattini

For the opening day the draw is as follows:

Monday, April 16th

Louis Vuitton Cup' - Round Robin 1 - Flight 1

Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team (ITA 99) - Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 92)
+39 Challenge (ITA 85) - AREVA Challenge (FRA 93)
United Internet Team Germany (GER 89) - BMW Oracle Racing (USA 98)
Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) - Victory Challenge (SWE 96)
China Team (CHN 95) - Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 94)
Bye: Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 97)

Louis Vuitton Cup' - Round Robin 1 - Flight 2

Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 97) - +39 Challenge (ITA 85)
Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team (ITA 99) - AREVA Challenge (FRA 93)
United Internet Team Germany (GER 89) - Team Shosholoza (RSA 83)
China Team (CHN 95) - BMW Oracle Racing (USA 98)
Victory Challenge (SWE 96) - Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 94)
Bye: Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 92)

If you have friends, clubmates or fellow sailors who follow the America’s Cup, but aren’t subscribed to Sail-World, please forward this newsletter and tell them to signup using the following link: www.sail-world.com/subscription to receive the best and first in comprehensive coverage of this premier yachting event.

Good Sailing!

Rob Kothe & Sail-World NZ's editor Richard Gladwell

If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/32651

Related Articles

Ambre Hasson on her 2025 Mini Transat adventure
Classe Mini skipper Ambre Hasson debriefs her 2025 Mini Transat adventure Six years ago, Ambre Hasson was living in New York City and enjoying the trappings of city life. Sailing wasn't part of her world view or skillset, nor was the thought of racing across the North Atlantic, alone, aboard a 21-foot offshore speedster.
Posted on 18 Dec Debriefing the inaugural Inclusion Championships
With luck, the IPC was paying very close attention In January 2015, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC}) made the misguided decision to drop sailing from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Sports Program. This began a series of bad decisions that the sailing world hopes to see reversed.
Posted on 16 Dec Like watching a big front build
Deploying the might of the North Technology Group is not simply about rags, strings, and sticks When you able to deploy the total might of the North Technology Group, it is not simply rags, strings, and sticks that are the outcome. Equally, it is not merely the sum of the parts. It is more. Way more… Yes. It is most certainly the best of the best.
Posted on 15 Dec Could the decline of Linear TV benefit sailing?
The rise of YouTube has changed how we watch sport I really enjoyed the highlights of SailGP this season. When there's wind it is exciting racing with some of the best sailors on the planet battling it out on identical boats. The problem was, I didn't watch any of it live.
Posted on 9 Dec Sailing in Paradise - escape the winter blues!
Thailand's stunning Royal Varuna Yacht Club offers incredible sailing throughout the year During the winter months in the northern hemisphere, the Royal Varuna Yacht Club can give visiting sailors some of the best warm water sailing available and the club welcomes guests from around the world.
Posted on 9 Dec The extraordinary Gitana 18 Ultim trimaran
Timelapse video of the construction and a look at the main design differences Over the past two years at CDK Technologies on the West coast of France, the most advanced offshore sailing yacht ever built has been taking shape.
Posted on 6 Dec Switching Classes - Advice from Ben McGrane
Getting the decision right takes thought and a bit of research Getting the decision right takes thought and a bit of research. Will the class suit you? Are you the right weight? What boat should you get in that class? All questions which could decide where you make the right choice.
Posted on 3 Dec Brits win two SailGP titles, Jules Verne attempt
Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team wins two SailGP trophies, Jules Verne Trophy news The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team made history on the waters off of Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, last weekend when they became the third team in SailGP's five-season history to win the league's championship title and its accompanying $2M-plus prize purse.
Posted on 2 Dec Chris Wessels on the FWC's Regional Wave Regatta
Chris Wessels discusses the FWC Florida Keys Regional Wave Regatta As December washes its way across North America, it's only natural to turn one's thoughts to warm waters, warm breezes, and the chance to indulge in some early season escapism.
Posted on 2 Dec First Look: Seldén CXr at Metstrade 2025
Patented ratchet design and innovative 'nail' terminal Code sails have revolutionised sail handling on yachts, and Seldén's second generation of furlers, called CXr, have a patented ratchet design, as well as an innovative 'nail' terminal to connect to the torsion cables.
Posted on 2 Dec