Latitude 38 VOLUME 414 2011 WE GO WHERE THE WIND BLOWS DECEMBER 2011 VOLUME 414 AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY AMERICA'S CUP 34 The America's Cup World Series San Diego is in the books, and Oracle's James Spithill proved once again why part of the action and no doubt he's got the helm of the Oracle Racing 'A' hang out with the multitude of boat. Spithill and company dispatched Bay Area folks who are working a French entry, Yann Guichard's Energy for AC Race Management. The Team, in two-straight races to take the overwhelming sentiment was match racing honors on November 19. that the racing was fantastic to A day later, Spithill followed that win by watch, and impressive enough taking the fl eet racing championship. to be compelling even when the While we've come to expect good re- breeze was down and it was sults from Oracle Spithill, Emirates Team foggy or raining. Those same New Zealand, and Artemis, the biggest reports said the village was surprise came from the two French less than impressive, lacking teams. With Guichard replacing Loïck much in the way of A/V aids, Peyron as skipper, Energy Team won the and providing precious little match racing seeding series, guarantee- access to anyone who hadn't ing them a spot in the match racing semi- purchased one of the VIP pack- fi nals for the fi rst time in an AC World ages. Thankfully, the stream- Series event. They made the most of the ing YouTube channel once opportunity when they defeated Artemis again proved to be dynamite, to reach the fi nal. Aleph, with Pierre Pen- and this editor lost productive nec replacing Bertrand Pace as skipper, hours following the action. managed to qualify for the match racing. Now the World Series road They nearly snatched a semi-fi nal spot show goes into hibernation when they led Artemis by a country mile until next April, when it travels during their deciding match. But fate to Naples, Italy. Some changes intervened and a technical glitch — the have been announced, like a new, taller R/C temporarily lost the virtual bound- wing and a weight diet to get the boats aries for the race course — caused the to fl y their hulls earlier in the light air race to be abandoned. In the re-sail, anticipated at the next venues. The Artemis and skipper Terry Hutchinson teams also passed an amendment ef- prevailed. Regardless, it was heartening fectively barring the competitors from Many of the features, but not all, are to see two teams from the nation with saying anything but nice things about complete. The product is usable, bugs the most experience in multihulls, sailing the event, which just sounds lame to our will be found, and features and function- their way into the mix. way of thinking. After all, confl ict and ality are likely to be removed, added or Judging by reports from the boots on controversy generate interest. enhanced." the ground, and the fl urry of postings As for the various features, the sailing on the SF Contingent to SD to Watch AC itself won universal acclaim. 45's Facebook page, there had to have A debriefi ng of some of the Bay Area "The coolest thing I saw was the been well over 300 or even 400 Bay Area people who had gone down to watch ran fl eet race fi nals with some breeze," said Cup fans who made the trip down to be the gamut, but Spinnaker Sailing's Drew Harper. "The nearly everyone holeshot into the fi rst mark was nothing With skipper Pierre Pennec at the helm, 'Aleph' had something short of amazing to watch with a bunch nearly qualifi ed for the match racing semi-fi nals. positive to say, of non-sailors surrounding us all ooh-ing along with things and aah-ing." they thought Pineapple Sails' Kame Richards has could use some a new theory on why the sailors' heart improvement. rates are almost always at max output. Summing it up "It is somewhat frightening to watch t h e b e s t w a s a starting line set up for a beam reach, Open Sailing's with the fi rst mark, a gybe mark, only Barry Demak: about 500 yards away," he said. "Of "In the soft- course, all the boats have afterburners ware world (and full on! Watching it is very scary. Actually why shouldn't being on the water, in one of the boats, we make this I would wet myself! There are rumors comparison?), about the heart rates of the competitors the America's being way high... maybe they are scared Cup World Se- to death!" ries event in San The AC World Series village got mixed Diego would still reviews. be considered in "I knew there'd be a lot of wow fac- the 'Beta' stage. tor," Harper said. "It has a very 'race AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY Page 80 • Latitude 38 • December, 2011 AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY • AMERICA'S CUP 34 SAN FRANCISCO BAY — AC WORLD SERIES SAN DIEGO all in the VIP areas, and in the free areas were the new folks who were being pulled in and really enjoying themselves. We made a point to talk to as many people as we could that didn't have the VIP badges, and asked them where they were from, what brought them there, etc. We found that there was a very, very large contingent of folks who 'chanced upon' the races and got hooked. We met local couples who had encountered the Port Cities challenge the weekend before and had come back each day for more, loving that it was free. We encountered a number of tourists and families who had chanced upon it after coming down to see the Midway or other waterfront attractions, and loved it as well; they wanted more kid-friendly activities, but the Exploratorium exhibits were a hit, even though they were small. We sat among a bleacher area full of fans from out of town who knew sailing but learned ALL PHOTOS THIS PAGE GILLES MARTIN-RAGET/ACEA ALL PHOTOS THIS PAGE all about racing for the fi rst time. We wanted to see if we could have a great time without spending the big bucks, and we truly did. We had several other The AC 45s are dynamite when fl eet racing; inset — 'Oracle Racing Spithill' celebrate their double. friends who did the same, and also really car' feel to it. You mosey up to the pits to be done to make people aware of the enjoyed the experience. (compounds) and have immediate view- on-the-water event and the non-sailing The in-person viewing experience at ing access to some of the coolest carbon entertainment around the event," Demak the village also got mixed reviews. to be seen. The project was well laid out, said. "For many reasons, few seemed to "When we showed up at the venue, accessible, professional and just sort of be aware of and even fewer seemed to the boats were impressively sitting in a easy to get around. It seemed like nearly show up for the free evening entertain- small basin dancing like kites to a light all my friends were down and I'll be ex- ment at the village." breeze," said Bradley Trottier. "The few cited to hear what the fi nal numbers look "It's a shame the turnout was so low," kiosks with America's Cup stuff were like on who came from where." Williams said. "It seemed like every other small tent affairs similar to what one One respondent was surprised to see person was a familiar face from the San fi nds at a swap meet. We were turned little in the way of offi cial merchandise Francisco Bay Area! I called the San away from the compounds so we did the or local news coverage. Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau Greatest Generation walk south of the "There was no coverage," said Eliza- offi ce when I couldn't fi gure out what USS Midway, went home and watched it beth Diaz, "and there was very little in was going on from the americascup.com on YouTube. Compared to the big open the souvenir department." site. They said they were struggling too. Yann Guichard and 'En- For most of the people we heard from, The banners along the harborfront were ergy Team' were on fi re, the sailors and teams were very acces- great, but elsewhere in San Diego no one making it to the match sible, which will be crucial to further knew about the races.