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rpaillon
Joined: 02 May 1998 Posts: 124
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:19 pm Post subject: America's Cup |
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Did anyone actually see a race today? I watched and watched from Yellow Bluff (Fort Baker) from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm and did not see evidence of any racing. I did see a bunch of America's Cup boats kind of promenading back and forth in front of the grandstand area about 50' off shore. Were these actually races? The official site stated that the races would start at 2:05. By 3:00 I didn't see any evidence of a race so I left. America's Cup actually reported on the results, so the races did take place. Were the races delayed or was the action so subtle that I missed it from across the Bay?
Rick |
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1956kiteboarder
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 Posts: 37
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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Today was a complete snoozer, you blink and it was over, what a joke. |
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dvCali
Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1314
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: America's Cup |
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Can we maybe stop talking about the America's Cup? This is really a windsurfing forum. The cup is shaping up to be a complete joke, as usual, with a total of four boats competing. Get ready: next year we will have a grand total of 2!
If it wasn't for the land grab that is attached to this "sporting" event, it would be something to lough about. Unfortunately it is a money maker for the 0.001% ... at our expense. |
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NickB
Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 510 Location: Alameda, CA
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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The title of this topic is "America's Cup", seems easy enough to avoid for those who show no interest. Political considerations aside (where I tend to agree with you for SF, but for Alameda this is a beneficial venue), you don't have to ruin the sport aspect of for the rest of us. Personally I think the races themselves are nothing to laugh about, depending on the conditions they can be beautiful and show a lot of strategy and teamwork, sometimes for extended period of time at the edge of catastrophe. The number of participants doesn't mean they suck, and there are several sailing olympic medalists on these teams. |
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damel
Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 247
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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You can see the replay of the GPS tracks of the races here http://americascup.virtualeye.tv/ nothing too interesting but you can see that they are keeping the racing downwind of Crissy so far which makes sense given where the people paying for admission sit but sucks for viewing at Crissy field. I have a feeling the fleet racing will be on a bigger course that goes all the way up to Crissy.
I was planning on windsurfing Crissy all weekend and watching the races but it looks like Sherman and Treasure Island will be the call. _________________ _____/)_____
http://east-of-maui.blogspot.com/ |
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mac
Joined: 07 Mar 1999 Posts: 17752 Location: Berkeley, California
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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damel--for 2012 the course is kept to the east of Anita rock--to allow windsurfing and kiting to go on. For 2013 they will go further west, but stop at 4:00.
The interesting race might well be the bridge to bridge, with AC-45's, 49'ers, windsurfers, kites, and the French hydroptere hydrofoil all rumored to be on the line. August 31, but not really possible to see much from the land. http://www.hydroptere.com/ |
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kipps
Joined: 01 Oct 1999 Posts: 42
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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yes there was racing and it started right on schedule.
there were three pairs of match races, and each match is a best-of-three. in all cases the same boat won the first two races of their match, so no third races were necessary. only one match (BAR vs. Korea) had exciting action, and another (Prada vs. Artemis) had some competitive racing.
the lot of six races went down in about an hour, so after three there was nothing to watch. it was over far too soon: between fewer races (six of possible nine), and a shortened course (the course map shows the upwind gate above the start line, in reality it was below it and in line with the finish line).
i'd say that yellow bluff is not a good viewing point: between the distance, angle and compression you can't really tell much. tuesday i was watching the practice races from a boat right on the course limit line between the start line and alcatraz and even from there you couldn't see much without binoculars and even at that, it wasn't easy to tell what was going on. |
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kipps
Joined: 01 Oct 1999 Posts: 42
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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damel wrote: | ...I have a feeling the fleet racing will be on a bigger course that goes all the way up to Crissy... |
That would appear to be case, based on the where they set up the upwind mark boats for the practice races on Tuesday (they ran several fleet starts but no actual fleet race). |
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abisailf
Joined: 10 May 1998 Posts: 11
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:34 pm Post subject: AC webcams |
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If you really want to watch the America's Cup action avoid the traffic and crowds and do so from the comfort of your home with you laptop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGlRkyZDD88
The parking lot at Crissy has been packed from about noon until the end of the races so trying to watch from there is tough. The good news is that as soon as the racing concludes the lot empties out pretty quickly enabling us windsurfers and kiters to get parked for rigging.
While Tuesday was an epic session, yesterday was pretty lame and today looks to be about the same. We'll just have to wait for more heating and the NPH to return.
Aloha |
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dvCali
Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1314
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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NickB wrote: | The title of this topic is "America's Cup", seems easy enough to avoid for those who show no interest. Political considerations aside ... you don't have to ruin the sport aspect of for the rest of us. |
True enough, it can be avoided, but as far as the sport aspect for the rest of you (?) if you want to see some real competition and want to be thrilled by the expectation of big big crashes Look at the Extreme 40 Series: http://www.extremesailingseries.com/
This is more of a little joke with 4 entrants scheduled to race (on purpose) during some of lightest wind conditions you can find in the season. The "race", the AC, served the ONLY purpose of trying to acquire free real estate on the Water front of San Francisco for Larry Ellison. Thanks god that (almost) fell through last February.
As far as the city (i.e. us) is concerned the direct cost of the entire deal to the city will be about $111 million, according to San Francisco budget analyst Harvey Rose. What is missing is the billion and a half (! !) that we (the city) were supposed to get in return. And that is actually the real joke. |
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