Has the America’s Cup Lost its Mojo?
Oct 24, 2024
The oldest continuous sporting event in the world etc etc just completed its 37th iteration. Perhaps it’s time to put this suitcase back on the bottom shelf and leave the exploring to others.
Did you watch any of the racing? Apart from the breathless commentary on the speed and sexy shape of the boats, it was no more exciting than a pair of Albacores racing in front of your cottage. Yes, the Kiwi spectators were going bananas with Maori traditional chants and birds on their hats as their boat crushed the English. Great stuff, but is that all there is?
The America’s Cup is super gold plated and for this year, the people of Barcelona were reportedly cranked up, but I don’t really believe anyone else was. Two lonely boats with six people sitting in them hidden up to their helmeted heads. My excitement level stayed well under three.
Compare these two recent pictures:
From 1851 until at least up until the Australians won the Cup in 1983 and possibly when the New Zealanders won in 2000, America’s Cup was stop-everything news. You could see and taste the action. Ardent sailors and likely boaters of all sorts anticipated each AC as the boating pinnacle. (Everyone followed powerboating too – Harmsworth Cup world champ, Miss Supertest III, captivated the nation ( did you know they competed out of the RCYC?)
Yes, the AC boats are quick, but so are lots of other boats these days – everyone is foiling. There are also some pretty speedy power boating circuits like Ontario driver Rusty Wyatt F1H2O World Championship that do incredible laps. Sailboats like Moths, Waszps, 49ers and other foiling sailboats are amazing to watch and play in.
As for the big leagues, Sail GP with its 10-boat fleets has eclipsed AC37 in almost every way including glitz. With the revived CAN team with daredevil Canadian sailors banging it out on a monthly circuit and eventually another Canadian home event, there will be plenty of world class boating to relish.
John Morris, Online Editor
