We love beating this subject into the ground. You know, the same sort of beating that fracking Ineos is going to continue to get… – ed.
I usually find Anarchist David’s articles impressive and knowledgeable but his latest one he misses the mark in a few areas.
The fact that the Brits – who I am sure do not appreciate the, twice used, derogatory racist term for them (wonder why he has such a chip on his shoulder about the old Mother Country – challenged for The Cup on a number of occasions.
It is easy to cherry pick PARTS of history to try and make a point but the fact is that for a century, apart from a couple of Canadian challenges, it was the British who kept he Cup alive and in the public interest. In fact without the Liptons, Dunravens and Sopwiths of the world The America’s Cup competition might long have died and been forgotten.
The Australians didn’t enter the fray until 1962, over 100 years after the Hundred Pound Cup was originally won by the yacht America, and haven’t been back for, I understand the past 25 years. I think last time the team folded – now there was a dog! At least the Brits haven’t given up on the fray.
Claims that the Bob Millar/Ben Lexcen design was “never slow” are clearly made by someone who has never read John Bertrand’s book “Born to Win” where, in the early days Challenge 12 WAS a match for Australia 2 which proved ‘idiosyncratic’ in her handling characteristics compared to a more traditional 12. Similarly her performance wasn’t all down to the wonder keel as Tom Schnakenberg’s sails had, in many people’s eyes, just as much to do with her performance and ability to accelerate out of a tack.
On a final point, I am sure John Bertrand would be less than enthusiastic about Australia 2’s move to not gybe on the penultimate leg of the course being labelled as ‘a tactical gamble’ and Liberty’s two gybes were probably a greater deciding factor in her losing ground but maybe not and the ‘more stable spinnaker running deep? Well that is that man Schnakenberg again.
The comparisons are there, make no mistake, and to make the link does not suggest any optimism or pessimism whatsoever. Whether INEOS can turn round the performance is up to the team and I am certain that the amount of data transmitted off the boat will give them an idea and either hope or the realisation there is no hope.
One thing I am confident about and that is should the British team fail it won’t be another 25 years before they come out to play again. – SS.
