Posted on 09/25/2013 2:31:01 PM PDT by CivilWarBrewing
Skipper Jimmy Spithill and Oracle Team USA won the 34th America's Cup today in one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.
Spithill steered Oracle's space-age, 72-foot catamaran to its eighth straight victory, speeding past Dean Barker and Emirates Team New Zealand in the winner-take-all Race 19 on San Francisco Bay to keep the oldest trophy in international sports in the United States.
All but defeated a week ago, the 34-year-old Australian and his international crew twice rallied from seven-point deficits to win 9-8 Wednesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
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Well done, Sir Ben Ainslie! Such a winner.
Only for drinkin’ shootin’ eatin’ and heavy metal concerts.
(not necessarily all at the same time)
Cool boat
Just not readin’, right?
winner
A bunch of foreigners funded by an international corporation is “TEAM USA”?
He reads real good.
Up until probably the mid-80s, there were very stringent AC requirements about everything relating to the boat being from the defender's & challenger's country - design, tank-testing facilities, build, spars, sails, crew. Everything. When Australia II won the Cup in 1983 there was some evidence that the famous winged-keel wasn't 100% Ozzie in design. Caused quite a bit of a ruckus but nothing could be proven - point being the restrictions were in place at least until then.
Many thought that the restrictions gave the US / NYYC too much of an advantage, especially in sails. While there were good sailmakers around the world when the Cup started up again with 12 Meters, we had the lock on sail cloth - Ted Hood's Dacron cloth was far superior to any competitor's anywhere. Hood Sails ruled the world, but weren't available to AC Challengers.
The game has gone from ~95% amateur back in the 60's to100% professional now. Too late to put the genie back in the bottle, nor is there a need to, imho.
You’re not implying that “space age” is cliché?
1-—I will put last year’s Miracle at Medinah against this anyday. From 10-4 down on Saturday night to 14.5 by Sunday night. Europe’s golfers needed to win EVERY singles match, in front of a vocal US crowd. And they did. The greatest golf/RC comeback of all time and as great as this.
2—Greatest comeback in sports?. By which you will mean American sports, as like 95+% of Americans, with all due respect, you don’t know anything about soccer or rugby or cricket or other major non-North American sports and your knowledge of greatest comebacks is limited to US gridiron, ice hockey, baseball and basketball.
What an adventure.
I miss the monohulls and wish they’d go back to them for the Cup. Save these 72Cats for another series.
As far as the international crew, I ‘ m with you. Pretty ridiculous having few or no nationals on the boat.
One thing I admired Ted Turner for was his sailing.
I miss them too but, what the hell!
Freakin amazing!
There has been quite a bit of talk, even from Ellison, about making the race more affordable to other teams.
It’s not gonna be so exciting without a playoffs, so to speak, with several other teams.
This was fun to see but, would like to see more realistic boats.
I’d like own a 130’ yacht myself one day but, ain’t nothing like being on the water on a 37 footer.
LOL
Those aren’t American sports.
The Medina ting was pretty damned kewel but, I can’t watch golf for very long.
I luv to watch sports that I play. Snowboarding, skiing, rock, ice and mountain climbing. Cycling of any kind. Surfing. Most pugilistic sports. Sailing.
I know they aren’t: baseball is English, ice hockey and basketball are Canadian, gridiron is the son of English rugby.
To be fair The Americas Cup is a British invention.
They threw the challenge out to the world.
Only the United States answered the challenge. Sending their boat while”America” and sweeping the race.
We renamed the race after that boat.
Signed
Norm
When did they start allowing catamarans enter the America’s Cup, which is a yacht race? Also, how can a team of foreigners winning be a triumph for U.S. boat racing?
Is it?. Sailing isn’t my thing.
Don’t get me wrong, my friend, I think the comeback is incredible and one of the greatest. I just wonder if it is THE greatest. Maybe it is, maybe I am being too harsh. After all, its only sport. I am not going to bust a blood vessel arguing. Maybe you are right after all.
I’d also like to see the competitors come from the correct nations. Otherwise Team USA or Team NZ is worthless.
Oh, I don’t get you wrong.
We’re all friends here.
Besides yer Scot as am I.
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