Another Meaningless Kiwi Victory

It wasn’t too surprising that Emirates New Zealand won their second straight Louis Vuitton Series race yesterday, as for the second time in a row, theirs was the only boat on the course. They sailed faster than in the first race and looked great, but as much as we hate to say it, the 34th America’s Cup is becoming more of a farce every day. The Kiwis sailed alone in the first race because the Italians boycotted it. Yesterday they sailed alone because the Artemis team didn’t have their AC72 ready. And so it goes for the misnamed ‘Summer of Sailing’.

Indeed, the big action is again off the water, as the International Jury convened today to decide whether the changes to the rules regarding the elevators should be allowed or not. If the jury decides the new regulations should be tossed, Artemis says they won’t be able field a boat to compete, which would reduce the America’s Cup participants to a mere three. Iain Murray, Regatta Director of the America’s Cup, says if the new rules are tossed, he’ll have to go back to the Coast Guard and apply for another permit for the event, which puts the whole Cup in jeopardy. If the jury rules that the new elevator regulations can stay in effect, the Luna Rossa Italians have threatened not to compete.

All in all, the action ashore is as messy as an AC72 foiling is clean.

A decision by the jury is expected to be reached today. Or maybe Saturday. At which time the competition will no doubt resume . . . on land more than on sea.