Sail-World New Zealand- June 22, 2013 - America's Cup - Laugh or cry?

by . on 22 Jun 2013 Welcome to Sail-World.com's New Zealand newsletter for June 22, 2013

After getting some issues resolved with our website, we seem to have been flying fast and level for the past few days and are now hopeful that the newsletter functionality will work as intended.

Unfortunately while we can do some some testing, there is only way to run a live test, and this is it.

Looking back on what we wrote in our last newsletter on June 6, we predicted that the outstanding issues with the America's Cup would be headed to the International jury for Mediation or a full Hearing.

Finally the Mediation process started this week, and will enter its third day. We are expecting to see it go to the full International Jury.

Back on June 6, we made the comment: 'The fact the the premier trophy in the sport could be in a situation where a month from the regatta, the number of races and racing schedule are still being worked out is bizarre, to say the least.'

Well here we are just 13 days from the so-called start of the America's Cup Regatta, and we don't know (a) when it will actually start (b) what the format will be (c) what the rules will be and (d) whether one of the competitors will be allowed to sit out the first few weeks of the regatta.

For what is supposed to be the pinnacle event in the sailing world, this situation is nothing sort of pathetic, and is below the level of organisation most would expect in an Optimist Green Fleet regatta (with apologies to the Optimists).

For sure the focus is on the local San Francsico fans, and it is clear the organisers don't care about international fans - particularly those who have booked flights and accommodation to see the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup, and are now incurring some very expensive costs to cancel, or have to watch a charade as two competitors sail the Round Robin - largely alone to get the point for the day.

The local fans get a refund on their tickets for the non-racing days. The international fans get nothing.

It is disappointing to see the organisers round up on Emirates Team NZ for going in to bat for their sponsors and fans. One of the founders and former Executive Director of Team New Zealand, Alan Sefton, sets the record straight on some of the comments made.

As things stand right now Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa will sail against each other just five times for the only contested racing of the Round Robin - the remaining races they will sail alone. In our thinking, the America's Cup Regatta gets underway on August 15 - with the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final - a best of 13 race series, with two 30 minute races being sailed each day with a 30 minute gap between.

In reality, the so-called Summer of Sailing is now a Month of Sailing for San Francisco. Saving grace for the America's Cup will be the 18fter International to be sailed at the same time from the St Francis Yacht Club, with the 18's racing being scheduled around the AC race calendar.

And yes, the 18fters will take place when planned, 30 boats are expected to compete including seven from New Zealand, crews will be coming from New Zealand, Australia, USA, Europe and UK. Yes, the 18's do know what the rules are (not a lot!). It should be a terrific event.

Trying to stay positive about the America's Cup, at present, is a trying time for any fan. But one ray of sunlight came across our desk this afternoon with a short video clip of Emirates Team New Zealand doing a most beautiful flying foiling gybe. Don't miss it.

There is a lot of other video on our site www.sail-world.com/nz, and we posted 60 minutes of am-cam video today, alone.

Two Sail-World advertisers, Southern Spars and Events Clothing were amongst the nominees in various categories at the Auckland Export Awards. We have features on both in this edition of Sail-World, and our congratulations to Southern Spars for winning the Commercialisation of Innovation for Export category.

Another Sail-World advertiser, NZ Rigging has a great deal on at present, with a full rig check for just $150 inc GST.

See details in this edition of Sail-World.com and contact Richard Bearda and the team to arrange for your boat - racer or cruiser to be checked.

We have the first update in the Kaenon Polarized Road to the Red Bull Youth America's Cup series, where three sailors - Peter Burling (NZL), Will Tiller (NZL) and Charlie Buckingham (USA) update on their latest sailing activities as they head towards the event which will be sailed in AC45's in San Francisco, ahead of the 34th America's Cup.

The New Zealand Sailing Team, is starting to fire up quite nicely as crews head towards their pinnacle events for 2013 - which is generally their World Championships.

In this edition we have a report on the 470 European Championships where the 2012 Gold Medalists Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie won the Silver Medal in the Womens event and Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox placed eighth. The Mens crew - a new combination this season - are building nicely, and have made, or finished close to the top ten cut in their last five events.

As earlier reported New Zealand crews have been performing well in the Mens Finn class, the Mens Laser and the Womens 49er FX. With Peter Burling and Blair Tuke being waylaid by other commitments to date, they too are expected to pick up where they left off after the 2012 Olympics. If you run a quick count - New Zealand has strong performers in six of the ten Olympic classes. What is even better is that now seems to be some depth in the fleets - and that gets NZ out of the position of being dependant on just a single sailor or crew in the classes.

We're hoping that we are getting the wrinkles out of our new web platform. Please bear with us. If you do have issues with the newsletter, or the website, please drop us a line to nzeditor@sail-world.com

Stay tuned to Sail-World.com/nz website for all the latest news.

Good sailing!

Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor

sailworldnzl@gmail.com

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