By Gary Jobson
August 13, 2013
The biggest question in every sport is who is going to win the contest? On paper, Emirates Team New Zealand looks like an easy victor against Italy's Luna Rossa in the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger trials. In July, New Zealand defeated Luna Rossa in every head-to-head race by over one mile. Last week, however, the Italian crew improved each day against Artemis Racing in the semi-final match. Did the competition help Luna Rossa enough to possibly defeat the powerful Kiwis?
By Gary Jobson
September 18, 2013
Imagine what is going on in the mind of Oracle Team USA's Australian skipper, Jimmy Spithill. His team is down 8-1. One more loss and the America's Cup moves on to New Zealand for the second time in 18 years. You might think the pressure is enormous, but I hope his focus is simply on winning the next race. He cannot think about the final result, the consequences, the disappointment, or his next gig. Spithill needs to win the next start, then get ahead, and find a way to stay ahead. If he does that, he can move on to the next race.
Read more: AC Report #12: Inner Strength at the America's Cup
By Gary Jobson
September 15, 2013
When I arrived off the water this afternoon following two thrilling America's Cup races, my co-commentator, Ken Read, said, "Sailing will never be the same." The vision Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts had about high-speed catamarans racing up and down San Francisco Bay is now a reality. Sure, it got off to a slow start in July, but today was some of the most exciting racing I have witnessed as a competitor or spectator. We may never see a spectacle like this again, but right now the 34th America's Cup defense is proving to be sports theater at its best.
By Gary Jobson
September 14, 2013
The sight of Emirates Team New Zealand teetering on its side was frightening. I’ll bet that the entire population of that small country held its collective breath at that moment. On the third leg of the ten-mile course in Race Eight of the America's Cup, the Kiwis lost control of their AC 72. During a routine tacking maneuver, about two boat lengths away from the American boat, the wing of NZL inverted. The boat dangerously heeled over at a 45-degree angle.
By Gary Jobson
September 13, 2013
For the first time in my sailing career I saw the perfect start. I mean PERFECT. In Race 8 of the 34th America's Cup defense, New Zealand's skipper Dean Barker approached the starting line to windward and ahead of Oracle Team USA's Australian skipper, James Spithill. In seven previous races Barker has won two starts, while Spithill has taken the other five. The Kiwis have been dominant throughout the series, except for the starts. After race six, I asked Barker what he was going to do to improve? Through gritted teeth he simply said he needed to do better. And boy did he deliver.
By Gary Jobson
September 11, 2013
After three days of racing at the 34th Defense of the America's Cup, the challenger, Emirates Team New Zealand, needs to win five of the next 14 races to defeat Larry Ellison's Oracle Team USA. In contrast, OTUSA must win ten of the next 14 races to successfully defend. This is a daunting task for the American team, based on the performance of both boats in the five races that have been sailed so far on San Francisco Bay. The USA elected not to sail the second race on Day Three. Skipper Jimmy Spithill said, "It is time we regroup; we need to make some changes." There is a scheduled lay day before racing resumes on Thursday. Can Spithill and his team turn adversity into victory? It will not be easy.
Read more: AC Report #8: Overcoming Adversity at the America's Cup
By Gary Jobson
September 8, 2013
When Oracle Team USA's sailors and shore crew arrived at their compound at Pier 80 early this morning, the America's Cup trophy was sitting on a pedestal in front of the AC 72. No one knew how it got there. But, it was an inspirational reminder of their mission. The sailing team looked fired up for Day Two of the America's Cup, even though they lost both races yesterday. Everyone around the waterfront in San Francisco was wondering how the American team could turn things around?
By Gary Jobson
September, 7 2013
One day doth not an America's Cup make, but it sure was an eye opener.Emirates Team New Zealand completely dominated Oracle Team USA in the first two races of the 34th America's Cup defense. The most interesting thing for me was watching the body language and attitude onboard the American boat as they began to realize that their AC72 was off the pace compared to the challenger. Oracle's design team will work hard to find ways to increase the speed of their boat, however one has to believe each boat started the series with their best equipment. Simultaneously, the sailors and their coaches need to take a critical look at their sailing performance. The USA was off in just about every aspect of the race.
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