Luna-cy
Feb 24, 2021
As you may already know, the 36th America’s Cup is under way, sort of, in Auckland NZ. It is unfolding as a bellwether of where boating and the world in general finds itself. So let’s take a look at what is happening on and off the field.
This is boating’s longest running competition and has had more than a century of glory. But a lot has happened this year that is (to use the cliché) without precedent.
Prada Cup 2021 – Press Conference Agostino Randazzo (Commodore of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia) credit: © COR 36 | Studio Borlenghi
As of today, the world’s superpowers have all been kicked or fallen to the curb including the countries that dropped out prior to competition. Initially there were eight challengers. China and Australia ultimately did not challenge; Malta Atlus Challenge, Dutch Sail, and Stars & Stripes from the Long Beach Yacht Club dropped out. Intimidating financial commitment, COVID and other factors apparently contributed.
The Prada Cup, which goes to the winning challenger, went to Italy with both the UK and USA trounced. Huge amounts of money have been spent and now it comes down to Italy and its sponsors against New Zealand and its sponsors.
Other events: New Zealand has been on and off with lockdowns, recently shutting down competition. American Magic also had the biggest crash of the whole thing and nearly sunk. The boats are breathtakingly expensive, insanely fast, crazy technical and frequently scary in unstable moments.
The premise is big thrills that will attract young viewers in an X Games kind of way. In my estimation, enthusiasm has been limited, reporting negligible and a staggering amount of money has been spent.
Whoever ultimately wins the America’s Cup, I doubt we will ever see these wing-balanced airborne boats again. Like all of our lives, 2020 -21 has been a staggering challenge for the America’s Cup.
