Jun 26
It took just 23 minutes this afternoon for Emirates Team New Zealand to win the 35th Americas Cup meaning they will take the Auld Mug, the oldest trophy in world sport back to New Zealand for the first time since 2000.
That is what is needed now by Team Oracle USA. They were comfortably beaten twice today by challengers Emirates Team New Zealand to take the Americas Cup final points board to 6-1. In fact in the 2nd race Burling humiliated Spithill who failed to box in his rival before the start line and had to watch Burling accelerate into a 13-second lead before Spithill had even crossed the start line. Cameras showed Burling wave at Spithill as he raced past him.
An Oracle miracle is now needed. Yes, 4 years ago in San Francisco the Americans came from 1-8 to beat the Kiwi challengers 9-8 in what is described by people who know nothing of Charlton’s win over Huddersfield in 1957 as the best ever comeback in world sports.
Ever since Jimmy Spithill and the large contingent of Team Oracle landed in Bermuda over 2 years ago they have talked of bringing the Americas Cup back to the islands of Bermuda if the USA team retain the trophy. The crew, designers, engineers, boat builders, administrators, and a whole range of specialists and back room staff and their families have integrated themselves very well into the fabric of the island.
Without any doubt they have been given every assistance, been allowed to cut corners and slipped rules and legalizations have been amended but, and some locals will argue the opposite, most will belive that Team Oracle has been good for this island, no more so than their inspirational leader Spithill.
This was not the close and exciting Americas Cup Final everyone was hoping for. At least so far. It was men against boys, Chelsea v Charlton. In fact even that analogy doesn’t do justice to how dominate Team Emirates New Zealand were over Team Oracle this past weekend.
Four races, two Saturday, two Sunday, and four comprehensive wins for the Kiwi challengers. Where Jimmy Spithill and Team Oracle go now, who knows.
Spithill and Team Oracle came back once before, big, four years ago in San Francisco, and the only crumb of comfort for the Aussie skipper is that the point they won from winning the qualifiers here, means they trail 3-0 and not 4-0, but Team Oracle is in a hole and four more wins for Peter Burling and his crew means that Emirates will snuffle the oldest trophy in world sports, put in it’s own Louis Vuitton case and ship it back to the Southern Hemisphere.
No not another ode to Yann or a post on Patrick Bauer’s potential move back to Germany, but more on the Americas Cup which continues to be the talk of the island.
Saturday saw the end of the Round Robin Americas Cup Qualifiers which meant that the French team had to exit the competition. Groupama Team France and Jose Mourinho look-a-like Franck Cammas over acheived and made a lot of friends during their stay here but after eight defeats but two suprising wins, they finished bottom of the 1st Round standings and will play no further part in the 35th Americas Cup. Although Cammas has said the team will stay and provide practice competition for the now idle Team Oracle.
Shiver me timbers. Sorry that’s a pirate term, but still…. I have been very lucky to attend a lot of the biggest sporting events, and I have to tell you that the opening day of the 35th Americas Cup will join the list of very memorable days out, and up there with the Masters, The Open, Ashes test matches, Wimbledon and Olympic events.
The Americas Cup village, built on land that wasn’t even there a year ago, was immaculate and beautifully presented. More than 10,000 people, a sixth of the island’s population, watched the first day’s sail boat racing from various viewpoints and the excitement was plain to see and hear. In Bermuda election year I just wish the politicians would stop trying to score points off each other, and accept that this little island is going to experience something very special and create memories long lasting over these next 6 weeks.
The American host team and winners of the ‘Auld Mug in Valencia in 2010 and San Francisco in 2013. Owned by one of the world’s richest men Larry Ellison, Bermuda was chosen as the venue for the American’s to retain the trophy they have won 31 times. It is also expected that if Oracle were to pervail then Ellison would keep the team base in Bermuda, which would be good news for the island.
The co-founder of Oracle which he began with $1,200 of his own money, Larry Ellison is the 7th richest man in the world with a fortune said to now exceed $55bn. The 72-year old remains Executive Chairman of Oracle but mostly now spends his time on his expensive passion’s for yachting, tennis, flying, real estate and young girlfriends. It is also said that he has given at least $150m away to charities. Ellison’s yacht Musashi is expected to be arriving in Bermuda any day.
Ever since the 2017 America’s Cup was awarded to Bermuda last December the buzz has gradually built into a crescendo. There has been a real feel good atmosphere around the island supressing the negativity of poor economic conditions, the countries debt and record unemployment.
However the 2017 America’s Cup has already seen some green shoots of recovery with new hotels under, or ready to start, construction and hundreds of competitors and their families already living here and bringing a boost to the island’s economy.
This weekend the island, particularly the capital Hamilton was fully decked out to celebrate the The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series. This is a qualifying race for the main event in two years time.
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