The first series of the Louis Vinton Cup is almost history and there are clear winners and losers at this early stage. Many syndicates will be bringing out a second boat and all will learn from the first round robin. Prada is the only undefeated boat thus far, has the biggest budget, been here and practicing the longest and left their first boat at home because they were so happy with the second boat. America One and Young America both have strong showing with only one defeat each, both to Prada. Nippon, Stars and Stripes, America True and Abracadabra are further back in the pack and while not out of the running, will have an uphill climb to make the finals. The Swiss, Spanish and Australian boats don't look like they have any chance to make the cut.
We visited the Stars and Stripes gift shop where Dennis has an impressive model collection of all of the Cup challengers and defenders. He is selling the usual team jackets and T-shirts plus his artwork as serigraphs, which are signed and numbered. Some of them are quite nice, but he hasn't stopped there, he has signed posters, half hulls and even socks and underwear for the true sailor! Dennis is playing Mr. Nice Guy around Auckland by doing appearances, charity work and working in youth sail programs, sounds great but he is also applying for residency status as well. I wonder if the two are connected? In addition to the gift shop he has also opened the Stars and Stripes Bar downtown where we had lunch one day. Good food at reasonable prices, maybe Dennis has missed his real calling. While I am not his biggest fan, he is one very focused and determined individual who usually achieves what he sets out to do.
Elizabeth and I stopped at the America One compound and met Ralf Steitz, a Port Washington resident and our former rigging man. Ralf has been on AC crews for the last several defenses and is the one pictured swinging upside down at the top of the mast in the last defense. We just wanted to stop in and say hello and Ralph asked us if we wanted a tour! What a chance, we were taken in through the security area and given a complete tour of the compound except for the most sensitive areas. It runs 24 hours a day in some cases and has a complete machine shop, electronics, rigging and sail loft. Saw their new $200,000 plus mast, $30,000 spinnaker pole. We got to climb over and in the sister ship to Australia 1 which they used as a trial boat. The boat is mainly carbon fiber and is so stiff that there is only one major rib at the mast step. The interior is very dark because of the carbon and the sewer area where the sails are repacked has little light to work in. The gear to help pack the spinnakers and hoist them up to the deck seemed spartan especially since the work must be done in very dim light and in the bow which is pitching up and down on the windward leg. Talked to Paul Cayard for a few minutes and since he didn't need a new mainsail trimmer we thanked Ralf and let him get back to work. Stopped by the gift shop and left some money to help with the defense. America One is still working with the first boat and is expecting the second one soon. They have a very strong showing with only one defeat by Prada. The team seems upbeat and confident in their chances. They were damaged by Stars and Stripes in the last race and were trying to get that repaired before the next race.
Young America has also been doing very well with only one loss, again to Prada but I know very little about the team so I can't pass on much information. We had a private showing of the America's Cup, now in a bulletproof case. Even though it borders on being quite tacky, it is still impressive. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron where the Cup is kept and who is sponsoring the Kiwi defense was very friendly and welcoming during our stay and we traded club burgees.
The AC Village is nicely laid out with the usual gift shops and a nice walkway where one can view all of the competitors at fairly close range. At least during the early stages there are only hundreds of people not thousands, as there will be during the finals making getting a good spot to watch fairly easy. One would hope that the area remains viable after they lose the cup and the races are over. It would also be nice to learn something from the Kiwi and make the Cup available to the general public rather than a privileged few as has been the practice in the past.
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