INEOS AC 2-0

[MoodySabre]

Auckland down to level 2, sport allowed.
Covid 19 coronavirus: Auckland to level 2, rest of NZ to level 1 - despite another new Covid case - NZ Herald
Hopefully racing will be back on.
AMERICA’S CUP EVENT (ACE) POSITION ON CONTINUATION OF RACING:

So LR (as challenger of record) will declare themselves the winners of the Prada Cup if racing is postponed beyond the original time frame, based on the points they have now. This is because the regulations do not provide for an extension beyond 24th Feb. What idiots wrote those rules in the pandemic? This would reduce the whole thing to a farce.

 

[Bobc]

Why am I not surprised at this:-

This morning the Challenger of Record (COR36) has made their position very clear in stating their desire to race from tomorrow despite COVID Alert level 3, to complete the PRADA Cup final by the 24th February in accordance with the existing Prada Cup conditions.
They have also stated that if the racing program cannot be completed by Wednesday (24th) they intend to declare the leading point scorer the winner of the Prada Cup and Challenger for the America’s Cup Match. Under the current points situation, that would be Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team.

 

[Kukri]

“Mandy Rice-Davies applies”?

 

[matt1]

I'm guessing this new schedule is reducing opportunities for Ineos and applies more pressure

 

[Bobc]

I'm guessing this new schedule is reducing opportunities for Ineos and applies more pressure

Staying with the original schedule and rules does, which is why LRPP want to not change.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Whist it's probably be true that NZ's doing the CoR deal with the RYS might have shaped the Italian response I think it's fairer to say that Ineos may not get the breather that they might have hoped for.

 

[flaming]

So the 3 entities here, the 2 teams and ACE, the organisers, ave all made statements that are all about self interest. And yet somehow we're surprised....

ACE - We don't want to run racing behind closed doors because we want to showcase NZ and make money from fans drinking beer, so we suggest postponing both the rest of the Prada cup and the AC itself until we can have fans in our fan park and spectator boats on the water.
LR - We see no reason not to run racing behind closed doors, and by the way the rules we all signed up to say that if there isn't enough racing for a team to get to 7 wins whoever is in the lead on the 24th wins. Oh, and we're COR so we have to agree to a change in schedule. So run the racing or we're off to the final anyway.
INEOS - we want to finish a 7 race series, so we have a chance to pull off an epic comeback. We'd quite like a bit of time now to work on some issues, so we support ACE, but we're ready to race behind closed doors if necessary.

None of that is in any way a surprise, or any different to how anyone would act in each circumstance I suspect....

 

[Kukri]

Situation normal - it’s the America’s Cup.

The extremely smart move - and he’s capable of it - is for Jim Ratcliffe to pull a Tommy Lipton and be frightfully sporting about the whole thing, thereby grabbing the moral high ground for future use.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Situation normal - it’s the America’s Cup.

Nearly all of professional sports are taking place behind closed doors. We could possibly arrived at a point where the AC cease's to be one . Not unexpected as above

We don't them. If we could download the AC simulator programme which they have, we can play each other. I would prefer the tactician package option rather than the common grinder though.

 

[Bobc]

To run an AC race, even without any spectators would require over 100 people. They can't race at all without breaking the law.

 

[Mudisox]

Odd how the RYA could run 4 boat match Racing with 6 teams under covid Mk1 rules. The buoys are self propelled and positions and the umpires could work from the Ribs, with input from ashore on boundaries.
Spectators could also be on the water but not on the land in paid for compounds. Video boats and helicopters could also give coverage, but LR wouldn't want that.
Sour grapes from NZ.

 

[Roberto]

Racing to resume on Friday

ACE CURRENT RACE SCHEDULE UPDATE

 

[FWB]

Racing probably Saturday.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Wow, no mincing words - on either side.

 

[FWB]

Rules is rules apparently.
What happened to Sportsmanship?

 

[Laser310]

repost - sorry

 

[Kukri]

Crikey. Think it’s quite a while since the atmosphere at a Cup contest was this bad.

 

[FWB]

Crikey. Think it’s quite a while since the atmosphere at a Cup contest was this bad.

ACE CURRENT RACE SCHEDULE UPDATE
Prada Cup racing will proceed on Saturday and continue for the prescribed schedule

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Sad . I think most people just enjoyed watching the sailing for it's own sake with not too much interest in who wins. Particularly the way things are.

Clearly the syndicate bods call the tune and not the poor minions have to face the press and fans.

But this time they lose . Great that it's back on again and well done NZ.

 

[Kukri]

I think that one of the lessons that the long history of the Auld Mug teaches is that whilst winning is great, what the public really likes to see is
sportsmanship.

The sums of money involved in the event are so astronomical that it becomes a real lesson in this.

We don’t remember Sir James Ashbury* or Lord Dunraven. We remember Sir Thomas Lipton.

* Unless one is a member of the Royal Harwich, which has its dining room named for him - but on the wall in a frame is not his racing flag, but Tommy Lipton’s

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