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Americas Cup in Newport

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5371 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/21/2012 : 22:24:13

My wife wrote me a month or two ago to let me know that the Americas Cup will be coming to Newport from June 23 to July 1, 2012.

Please see:
http://www.americascup.com/en/Latest/News/2011/8/AMERICAS-CUP-WORLD-SERIES-TO-BE-HELD-IN-NEWPORT-RI/

If you've never seen Newport, or haven't seen the boats, it is definitely worth a trip if you live in the northeast to visit the events.

According to the site:
"Newport, RI was unveiled today as the final stop of the 2011-2012 AC World Series, which promises to be a dramatic finish to the first season of the new AC45 professional circuit. Designed to expose millions more people to the sport of high-performance racing, the new professional circuit was created to bring the America’s Cup experience to top international venues.

In addition to being the first American host of the high-tech AC45 wing-sailed catamarans in 2012, Newport also has the honor of seeing the first AC World Series circuit champion crowned. The highlight of each AC World Series stop is the spectacular, winner-takes-all, fleet race on final Sunday, where teams put points on the board to take the overall title, so the final race on Sunday, July 1 in Newport could be the ultimate decision maker for the AC World Series champion.

“Newport and Rhode Island have strong historical ties to the America’s Cup, dating back to 1930,” Governor Lincoln D. Chafee said. “Narragansett Bay, one of our state’s most spectacular assets, provides a perfect natural venue, and the ongoing infrastructure improvements at Fort Adams make Newport the ideal host for the final stop of the AC World Series. This exciting event will be a tremendous boost for the Rhode Island economy and continues the relationship between Newport and the America’s Cup.”

Synonymous with the name America’s Cup, the spectacular harbor of Newport, Rhode Island has played host to some of the most legendary America’s Cup battles in the competition’s 160 year-old history. Newport continues to attract the leading yachtsmen and women from around the world annually, hosting some of the world’s major sailing events on its waters. And now, the 2012 AC World Series Newport event brings the America’s Cup experience back to Newport after almost a 20-year absence.

Providing an opportunity to watch the world’s top sailors compete in the state-of-the-art AC45 wing-sailed catamarans, current plans call for holding the racing inside Newport Harbor, with the start/finish line just off the shoreline and spectator access along numerous points on the waterfront.

In addition to its world famous waters, Newport, Rhode Island is a top U.S. tourist destination for domestic and international visitors. Home to spectacular coastal scenery, awe-inspiring architecture, a thriving waterfront downtown, and welcoming hospitality, Newport is considered by many to be a shining gem in the coastal crown of New England. For those whose hearts lie in architecture, design, and history, Newport offers tours of opulent mansions, interesting museums, and a number of walking tours that reveal the Colonial and Gilded Age charm of the city."

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

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Tradewind
Admiral

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USA
531 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2012 : 05:32:57

I used to be a big fan of the America's Cup races, back in the 80's and 90's, but with the switch from monohulls I have lost all interest in the hi-tech rockets.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2012 : 08:38:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 "...Newport offers tours of opulent mansions... that reveal the Colonial and Gilded Age charm of the city."<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Ah yes... If you haven't seen The Breakers "summer cottage" of the Vanderbilts, it's a jaw-dropping revelation!

As for the "rockets"--I consider that a different "sport" altogether. I used to watch 25' C-class (Little Americas Cup) catamarans with wings and sails scrimmaging off Norwalk, CT--that's where the wing design work started. They were impressive--I hope to see the AC-45s.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5371 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2012 : 09:06:07

You know, in the past the competition was about shaving seconds off your time and sailing the shifts on the correct side of the course. That was "Real Sailing", not just a bunch of high tech gimmics!

Nowadays, for spectators, it's more like waiting for an auto wreck in NASCAR. We've seen a large number of dramatic capsizes in marginally excessive wind conditions.

While exciting, it's not what we mere mortals typically do on an afternoon sail race. This is the pure hubris of the 1%-ers, sorry, no the 0.1%-ers!

That said, I am still interested in going up there to see the spectacle and people watch.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2012 : 09:09:25

You can't claim all the fun.

[url="http://volvooceanracemiami.org/"]Volvo Ocean Race Coming to Miami May 6-20 2012[/url]

And we're planing on launching in Biscayne Bay May 11th. Could we sneak up to Miami

Paul

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2012 : 09:33:10

Those VOR boats might not be quite as "crazy" as the AC-45s (at least they're monos), but their sailors are crazier!

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