Editorial- Of Supermodels and Keels

by nzeditor@sail-world.com on 17 Apr 2007 Welcome to the first issue of Sail-World.Com’s America’s Cup Newsletter

Last night Valencia picked up from where Auckland left off with all racing being cancelled due to a lack of wind.

As happens on such occasions, the attention turns to the diversions, of which there was plenty.

There was a Prime Minister on Emirates Team New Zealand, a German supermodel aboard BMW Oracle Racing and the Beautiful People scattered around the racers and spectator fleet.

Below the surface, speculation continues as to how one team has twisted a development out of the apparent very watertight Interpretation 22 issued by the America’s Cup Measurement Committee on 15 June, last year. Why such an innocuous document should now suddenly wear such an intriguing cloak, is all part of the mystery.

Our columnist Bob Fisher explains simply what the interpretation is about and what it means. For the very technically minded, we have included the Interpretation and relevant sections of the America’s Cup Class Rule. It’s an intellectual challenge - unless you have an Engineering degree.

Tomorrow, two races are scheduled, wind permitting. Our UK Editor, Gerald New, who spends a lot of time working in Spain, told me the other night that he thought the wind would be light for a while. Hopefully he is wrong, but the old regatta maxim of 'the weather is never usually like this', may be as true for Valencia as it is for everywhere else on the planet.


Good sailing!

Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor

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