Emirates standing by Team NZ

What a bunch of whankers... You're either in the America's Cup, or you're not. Where it is, how expensive or hard it is, etc. is a bunch of crap. Man up, of be a spectator...

Mike

Negotiations, nothing more.

As always, the colorful Richard Gladwell
Gladwell's Line: Media crunch in the America's Cup

"While the hard words were being said, and motives were being questioned, Most media missed the fact that Oracle lost another three of their First XI America's Cup winning crew.

A total of five who sailed USA-17 to victory, in September, have gone to other America's Cup teams. Those who remain are the Australians, Kiwi Joe Spooner and the sole US national, Rome Kirby.

Oracle suffered a further major loss in Dirk Kramers, a top designer, whose Cup experience extends back to 1977 and is a three-time winner of the America's Cup. He has joined the British challenger, Ben Ainslie Racing. Oracle's three-time Cup winner Jono Macbeth (NZL) goes with him as BAR's Sailing Team Manager.

Three of the Oracle sailing crew went to Italian Challenger, Luna Rossa, who are now geared up with over 80 in the team, and look to be in full operation.

Another leading US sailor - twice and current World Foiling Moth Champion Bora Gulari (Michigan) has also signed for Luna Rossa."

Man how Oracle didn't snag up Bora I'll never know.

I have to believe that foiling a moth and being part of a foiling team on an AC62 are probably pretty different things.... I hope he doesn't take their boats apart like he did my A-cat when I loaned it to him! ;-)

whatever you believe on that Spithill/NZ spat, it's PR nonetheless...

Latest NZ Herald

Coutts responds

more from Gladwell

Team NZ have the funds

'he (Dalton is a master at raising the money. The sponsors all know him very well; he has got private guys that help. I think that if Grant went, we're dead.'

"Tindall also revealed that Team New Zealand had conducted a full internal review of its performance in the 34th America's Cup and why the team was not able to win the trophy for the third time. He would not disclose details of the review, but added that he expected it to be released in a public version in the next couple of months."

Audio interview part one

part two

Good Read.
What Oracle was criticizing and what it is implementing

It's getting interesting in NZ.
Brad Butterworth

'It's not about me. I just thought that I could help,' says Butterworth. 'That’s what I've said for the new board, that I have made myself available if they want to talk to me or if they wanted to consider changing people at the top of the tree.'

By the top of the tree, Butterworth means Dalton and the rest of the senior management. "

Video

Emirates Team NZ confident to mount Cup Challenge

more here

and here

I would say the personal level media bashing Spitty performed several weeks ago worked like a champ. Everybody seems outwardly positive and moving forward.

For lack of a better descriptor, Dalton kinda got put in his place. He had to fend off a challenge from Butterball to lead the team and a media tide that was quickly turning on him. His salary of $2M last year also got published and there was some public outcry from that as well (particularly the taxpayers who's taxes created the government support)...so, yeah.

£7.5million of Government funding to support Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team

Link to just released AC45 Class Rule

Link to AC62 Class Rule (download zip)

All things Americas Cup Rules, DOG, Amendments, etc.

Luna Rossa Modified AC45
and
Pictures - First sail Luna Rossa’s fully-foiling AC45 Pirahna

Dean Barker interviewed on the current state of the Cup

So no foiling for the 45's eh?

What a shame....

As you imply, looks like they released the 45 rule on the third and regular 45s are called for.
Too bad they didn't wait an extra year and do foils. 2 years of racing on 45s seems a bit much. Maybe they want to show new guys pitch poling again, and the foils would have fixed that problem. The strong wind races in Naples and Portsmouth were entertaining.