Cup Watch

AC34: The Only Constant is Change

by Adam Cort, Posted June 17, 2013

An America’s Cup that has already been marked by unprecedented change and tragedy appears destined to remain very much in a state of flux until well into the Louis Vuitton challenger elimination series, scheduled to begin July 7.

An America's Cup Convert

by Adam Cort, Posted June 11, 2013

Count me among the converted. From the moment Larry Ellison, Russell Coutts, Jimmy Spithill et al. won the 33rd America’s Cup Regatta in Valencia, Spain, a little over three years ago, I’ve been concerned about the Cup’s future.

America's Cup Safety Recommendations Updated

by Becca Oken, Posted May 23, 2013

In the wake of the death of America’s Cup Team Artemis sailor Andrew Simpson, regatta director Iain Murray has issued a list of 37 recommendations to be incorporated into the safety plan for the Summer of Racing.

Unintended Consequences

by Kimball Livingston, Posted May 16, 2013

It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. First the Kiwis and then the three other America’s Cup teams have all hit the water with daggerboards we might as well call hydrofoils, which lift their boats’ hulls clean out of the water on downwind legs, dramatically lowering resistance and increasing speed. But the AC72 rule was specifically intended to prevent that. Read my lips: No trimmable winglets.

Red Bull Youth America's Cup Promises Cup-level Sailing

by Becca Oken, Posted April 24, 2013

America’s Cup is welcoming the next generation of racing with open arms. For the first time ever, the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup will be held on San Francisco Bay September 1-4, 2013.

Oracle Team USA Launches Second AC72

by Becca Oken, Posted April 24, 2013

Oracle Team USA is now double ready for the 34th America’s Cup after launching its second AC72 on April 23.

Cup Watch: Calm Before the Storm

by Kimball Livingston, Posted April 9, 2013

According to Emirates Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton, April is the month for ETNZ and training partner Luna Rossa to pack up “cats, chase boats, base structures, workshops, offices, gym, kitchens and stores for the move to San Francisco.”

Cup Watch: No Safety in Numbers

by Kimball Livingston, Posted February 28, 2013

Never before has the red-hot favored team to win the next America’s Cup been in such a dicey predicament. Some claim that Emirates Team New Zealand has already won the Cup in the design department, but even if that proves true, it makes the team no less vulnerable to the fortunes of war.

Oracle: Stop the Madness

by Adam Cort, Posted February 20, 2013

Call it sour grapes, but I for one am getting sick and tired of the way many sailors—pros in particular—feel it necessary to spray champagne all over the place after winning a regatta.

Cup Watch: Old and New Guards

by Kimball Livingston, Posted February 11, 2013

There was a time when getting your hands on the wheel of a U.S. America’s Cup boat was almost the same as saying, yes, I’ve won a Star Class world championship. Think Bill “Ficker Is Quicker” Ficker, Dennis Conner, Tom Blackaller, Buddy Melges.