[slorunner]

NO WE DIDN’T.

AN AUSSIE SKIPPER WITH 13 OTHER FOREIGNERS PLUS ONE TOKEN AMERICAN WON.

This competition will never be real until they return to the boats ( hopefully real boats, not video game escapees) and the crews being from the country they supposedly represent.

That being said, it was an incredible never say die feat by a thoroughly professional crew. Congratulations.

I just wish it had been a victory for USA too.

[GeronL]

bump

[Ready4Freddy]

I really don't see much point in having (reinstating, see below) nationality requirements; that horse left the barn decades ago. Consider the sailing teams like any good EPL team - does anyone really care that Manchester United's, Man City's, Liverpool's or Arsenal's, et al, best players aren't UK? Or not even European.

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.