Steve wrote: > Americans even think soccer is boring - even though it is much > faster than American football (both in terms of action and > length of game), so I imagine that they'd find a 2 or 3 hour > sailing race excrutiating (sp?).
I must admit, I don't really get much out of watching the sailing on TV - it IS kind of boring at times! But it's a different story out on the water. I went out twice last year, and it's incredible watching these enormous yachts up close. The way the team manouvre them, you'd think they were handling a tiny one-man sea-kayak! > Race 1 was fascinating in the "what could possibly go wrong next?" > category, and race 2 was one of the most exciting, well-sailed > races I've ever seen. Two boats separated by 7 seconds after an > 18.5 mile race? Wow. Looking forward to race 4 this afternoon!!! Yeah, it's been a sad story so far, especially as they've been so close. Race 4 is today, and Race 5 tomorrow - let's just hope we need a Race 6, 7, 8 and (possibly) 9! > Of course, for Hell's sake, I hope NZ wins at least one! :) That would be nice! Although Russell Coutts is undefeated in America's Cup racing (13 races so far, I think) which must play a part psychologically, as well. Anne wrote: > I hope they rally for the next race, but it really does > look like Alinghi is going to take the Cup. Just > curious for those in that part of the world - I hear > there quite the furor about the six on Alinghi from NZ. > What's the scoop? There has been a LOT of talk about this, and I don't know the intimate details. But in a nutshell, Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth apparently agreed to stay with Team New Zealand, then "defected" to the Swiss team. There's been a lot of bad feeling about their "unpatriotic" behaviour, etc. which I find pretty stupid, personally. We don't mind when people come here from other countries - a prime example is Irene Van Dyk, who came here from South Africa, and was immediately selected for the NZ netball team, after playing for SA. Of course it's not quite that simple, but Alinghi have had to endure some very unsporting behaviour from some moronic Kiwis (booing etc. as they leave for racing). Whatever their motives for leaving (financial, or whatever) it means there are more Kiwis out there in the racing world, and that can't be a bad thing! Hell ___________________________________ "To have great poets, there must be great audiences too." - Walt Whitman Hell's Home Page - NEW & IMPROVED! http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~hell/index.html
