Garda, you're helping to make my point. You don't get a ticket to the AC without winning. Not placing, but winning. And, none of those guys actually go to the AC just to place. If you truly believe that, watch the losers at each of their pressers. They all try to put on a good face for the team, but none of them really accept losing (which is a GOOD thing).
And, I never once referred to any of us, who would be thrilled to be top 10 in any regatta, so don't be confused about that.
And, since you obviously missed this too, a flying boat that is tacking is MUCH slower than a flying boat going straight. True, a flying boat also risks coming off the foils by tacking, but a flying tack is still slower than a flying boat going straight. It's the same concept as any floating cat (extra tacks are slow and should be avoided unless a significant gain can be made). Look at the meters on the replays if you don't believe me.
Mike
Yes, you get to the AC by winning, but that does not mean that everyone bar the winner in other regattas is a "loser". AC winners DO sometimes accept losing when it's for reasons out of their control - I've sailed with a couple. To say that people like Steve Brewin are "losers" when they run second in a worlds is pretty damn insulting.
I didn't say that you don't lose by tacking. The point was that many say that you lose less by tacking a foiler then by tacking a seahugger. The only other choice is to follow but somehow put the leader "under pressure". Even when you're just winning at national level (and I know for a fact that you are wrong to say that we would all be thrilled to be top 10 in any nationals regatta - to some here, 10th
is losing) you're not normally "under pressure" when you have a comfortable lead and the other boat is following you - especially when you are sailing the Kiwi boat with its bigger foils and therefore probably more reliable tacking.
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