Feb 14 2010

America’s Cup Race 2

Update: 6 hours later we will apparently race.  10 minute pre-start.

So- what do we know about the America’s Cup that we didn’t know before?

Well, we know that today’s race is supposed to be a 39 mile triangular course if the weather conditions are right and TheMomCat informs me that conditions for Valencia are expected to be-

Mostly sunny. Breezy. Highs in the 70s. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph.

So we’re probably not going to race at all.

Why?  The chase boats can’t keep up if the winds are 25 mph.  These boats sail at 3 x wind speed upwind!  My Uncle’s ski boat wouldn’t do 75.

But here I am as if they’re going to race because I like to make my marks and also I now know one other thing-

This will be the last race of the 33rd America’s Cup.

Best 2 out of 3 and BMW/Oracle already has one in the bag.  What’s more Alinghi has shown no indication at all that their boat is faster under any wind condition.

In the first race BMW/Oracle stalled out and took a full minute and a half to hit the start.  That was a 660 meter advantage and it was erased in 20 minutes.  After that it was just piling on.

Now I hear you say that the 15 and a half minute finish margin is because Alinghi botched a pointless spinnaker change and dinked around with their penalty turn, but it was a full 10 minutes before any of that.  When BMW/Oracle hit the line Alinghi was nearly TWO MILES behind!

It’s too late to build a new boat.

According to CupInfo.com they’ll only begin thinking about starting at 4:54 am (et) so I’m putting this on auto-promote for 4:30 because it’s already been a very long day for me.

Your streaming video sites (because it’s only available on the tubz) are-

I found my best results were from BMW/Oracle Racing.  If you think you are stuck in Full Screen mode try hitting the Escape Key.

ESPN 360 is covering it also, but without a permanent link.

114 comments

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  1. So it’s up now so that we have fresh content until mishima saves my ass at 3 am with Late Night Karaoke and because I’m unwilling to subject weightier and more serious essays to the Olympic eyeball ignoring overnight storm and yet perfectly willing to take that hit myself.

    It will still promote itself at 4:30 am.

  2. …. I need to sleep.

    So you think this is the last day, eh ?

    We’ll see.   It’s very cold.  

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 15:09
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    The start “line” has been moved


    13:00 (07:00 AM)

    So the course seems to have moved three miles or so to the west, now so that the start line is about 5.3 miles offshore.


    13:40 (07:40 AM)

    Very little breeze on the race course at the moment…especially at the committee boat, under two knots.


    14:20 (8:20 AM)

    Improved a little again at 090 degrees direction 6 knots at the committee boat. And the race committee are now reported to be clearing the possible start area, asking spectator and media boats to move. At the windward mark the wind reading is three knots at 160 degrees, at mark 2 it is 150 degrees 2.5 knots and at the start 120 degrees and a promising 6.5 knots. Again, we are very much on the forecast as far as when the SE’ly was forecast to settle and build.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 15:10
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    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 15:15
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     48 °F

    Partly Cloudy

    Windchill: 46 °F

    Humidity: 50%

    Dew Point: 30 °F

    Wind: 6 mph from the ESE

    Pressure: 29.80 in (Steady)

    Visibility: 6.2 miles

  6. Wind improving slightly.  Now 3.5 knots from 150 degrees.

    What a fucking waste of 5 hours.

    Well, I did get to see the special Valentine’s Day episodes of Spongebob and Fairly Oddparents.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 15:40
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    Positive signs

    The wind is stabilising in direction, around 150-degrees. It’s still quite light. But USA seems to be flying well in the puffs!

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 15:48
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    Starting to look good for a [http://twitter.com/BMWORACLE2010 start

    Coming up: We’re hearing reports of near 9 knots at the start line now. They’re going to try and set up a windward leg.

  9. screams BMWOTV.

    Great.

    No rest for the wicked.

  10. Look, I could care less about that.  I just want the old regatta format back.

  11. Commentator just said the sides of the triangle were 15 miles, but that doesn’t quite add up.

  12. Larry Ellison is taking a ride today.

    Valencia promo.

    They also do F1 and ATP.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:15
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    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:19
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    with weather tracking equipment that is not allowed on boaord during the race. Ellison still on board unsure if Russel still is but bet is he is.

  16. Alinghi late into the box, may have a penalty.

    Yup.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:26
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    Alinghi appears to be lagging way behind.

  18. Alinghi is playing the wind shift.

    BMW/Oracle has a 200+ meter lead.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:30
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    toward the center of the course on the right

  20. 350+ meter lead.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:32
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     Crew list update: Larry Ellison (USA) is added to the crew list in the ‘afterguard’ position

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:35
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    and USA ahead by 500 m

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:41
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    This has turned into a race. Alinghi ahead by 5 m

  25. Alinghi catches a break- now in the lead by 70 meters.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:42
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  27. …. don’t they realize us self centered Yanks have to do things like sleep and ingest caffeine over here ?

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:46
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    6 knots, 120-degrees, and 7 knots from 110-degrees at the gybe mark.

  29. …. turn and somebody to screw up, or something to fall apart.

    Swiss Alinghi slightly ahead still.  

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:51
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    of Alinghi. 😉

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:54
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    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 16:56
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    a right hand shift. Alinghi starting to lose speed

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:01
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    bit not enough of a lead or a [penalty turn

  35. For what?

    The boats are 2 miles apart!

  37. BMW/Oracle making the mark.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:19
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    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:19
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    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:20
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  41. they’re turning !  USA  go go go go

  42. BMW/Oracle points higher guys.

    Alinghi had to tack fat.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:23
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  44. “Enthralling stuff!”

    Gee guys.

  45. Pulsating again.

    This Brit guy has a penis fixation.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:28
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    on the 2nd leg which has a different configuration than the traditional up and down wind race. Wind angles are different

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:33
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    First leg report – USA takes the lead!

    Just before the top mark, the BMW ORACLE Racing crew made a perfect layline call. After tacking on the layline, BMW ORACLE Racing saw Alinghi cross ahead., but cede the inside position at the mark to USA, and that was all the advantage they would need to lead around the mark by 28 seconds.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:33
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  49. Instant speed readings have BMW/Oracle with 4 or 5 knot advantage.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:38
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    are going to be hard pressed to keep up with these boats. USA has about a 6 knot speed advantage

  51. better learn to water ski without petrol.

    Gah!

    Next I’ll start calling elevtors lifts!

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:39
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  53.  wind 28 to 30 knots  

    with them having the wind coming at them at a different angle since the turn, Alinghi can’t keep up

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:42
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    still no word about that and they still have a penalty to make.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:48
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    gybe mark in about 6 minutes. USA ahead 1700 m. Alinghi doing a sail change to try to catch up with USA USA flying at 33 knots.

  56. Geniker up on Alinghi.

    “Something has to break”, say the announcers.

  57. … is wiggling back and forth, steering more,  opines that they are steering more and sailing over “more distance on the surface of the earth.”

    facepalm.

    Outstanding graphics and computer stimulations of the racecourse explanations on the bmworacleracing.com site, interspersed with real live shots.

    Swiss Alinghi changing sails !   Humans doing something on the boat !

  58. I see lots of wires and loose sails bundled up.

    Looks more like inter-war airplanes to me.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:53
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    and it looks like they will barring any disaster, I’ll bet the protest flag will protest the entire race and ends up in the courts …again

  60. Almost a mile.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 17:57
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    at second mark.

  62. over 2000 meters.

    Over 18500 viewers on BMW/Oracle.

  63. …. Gigantic.

    USA Oracle still in front.  Announcer. Smoother, faster, “what can you say?”

    Uh, play music maybe.  Gack.

  64. Formula 1.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 18:04
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    is speculating that USA now sailing a little more conservatively. I agree that Russell is an advantage if he’s on you team.

  66. You guys are missing the point.

    A temporary wind shift appeared to give Alinghi a lead, but it was an illusion.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 18:08
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    Possible protest for redress against the race committee and the setting of the course. Announcer speculating

  68. It really wasn’t worth a 6 and a half hour wait.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 18:17
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    Butterworth and Coutts facing off. Advantage Coutts.

  70. …. as we approach the finish.  

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 18:19
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    as the sun starts to set. 8 minutes to the finish

  72. 2100+ meters.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 18:34
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    The cup is back in the hands of the USA

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 18:35
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    The cup is back in the hands of the USA

  75. …..  boy, it’s getting dark there fast.  Lots of boat horns honking.

    Alinghi going thru penalty turn now.

     How funny. They put their little knit caps on for the finish.

    Hopefully they can get these things stopped now…….  

  76. Napping now.

    • TMC on February 14, 2010 at 18:50
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    as per the America’c cup official site

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