Dalton outlined this week, through media interviews, the beginning of his plans for the America’s Cup if the defender is successful. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is interestingly not mentioned as the Cup’s trustee and the only decision-maker.
A Two-Year Turnaround
A record short turnaround in the modern era (the last time there was two year turnround was 103 years ago in 1903 - discounting the 1988 Deed Match), which will do nothing for encouraging new competitors to enter a now very high-tech game having any prospect of possible success. With the benefit of a design package and more time, the new French team was the first to exit this time. A short turnaround greatly benefits a defender by limiting the ability of the challenger to bridge the gap to catch up. It may save on a year’s worth of salaries, but the competition will pay a price. Of course, it’s another quick bite at the cherry.
The Same Craft
The Class Rule is expected to get some degree of an overhaul.
The sport generally is divided on the benefits of these craft. There are many fans of the current high-tech craft. Against this the price has been the loss of a lot of Cup sailing opportunities. We are then down to almost the total number of Cup sailors across all the competing teams to one IACC yacht used up to 2007).Speed and automation has caused the loss of traditional skills. The gap between the on-water America’s Cup and the e-America’s Cup gaming seems to be narrowing with automation. All we now see of the sailors (the real hero’s of the competition) are the tops of bobbing helmets in their rabbit holes. That’s before we get to ridiculousness of cyclists pumping oil simply to work the hydraulics. The craft are doing little for the mainstream sport. Speed kills. The America’s Cup is no exception.
There are of course many other views on this subject.
Pre-regattas
More pre-regattas have been signalled, but in the larger craft used in the Cup match. Unless they are held at the venue, they are costly in terms of logistics and precious time. These regattas rarely pay their costs and are usually a bit of a jaunt for sponsor exposure. Don’t expect many, and expect they will be mostly at the venue if there is a quick turnaround.
The Venue
Expect the highest (or the only) bidder to win.
Dalton has announced that a home venue bid in New Zealand is not being sought or chased, amounting to another bucket of lukewarm or perhaps cold water thrown over New Zealand. The New Zealand Government is now discussing it, but as much as I would like to see a New Zealand based defence and I applaud any who help it happen, there has been a massive loss of public support for the Cup and TNZ, after the abandonment of a New Zealand based defence, making the use of public funds politically more difficult than it was. It doesn’t sound like Barcelona will be up for another round as local protests escalate. As appalling as some such options are, gamble somewhere sandy with palms.
The key fora venue in making a bid will be the number of competitors and their time in the country. The short turnaround works against more competitors and risks less. Don’t be surprised if pre-regattas require or encourage challengers to set up at the venue early.
In short, its more of the same, just coming more quickly.