Alinghi Challenge AC37
- Thread starter strider470
- Start date
167149
Super Anarchist
Yes, indeed, and I was there. Drank champagne from the Cup that night, and ended up getting seriously hammered out of relief that it was all over.
Awesome! Was there for whole the event and was at the good-vibes prizegiving ceremony but had no invite to inside the BOR base that night, apparently it was packed. AC33 was one for the ages!
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They had two on-base parties that night, as I recall. Upstairs, with the Cup, was pretty much Oracle team members only, downstairs was a larger gathering of semi-invited guests of every stripe: journos, jury, race committee, measurers, public figures, etc.
It was very loud, and involved a lot of alcohol, including a whole lot of champagne poured out of the Cup. I was trying to drink from it without getting my front teeth knocked out, as the guy pouring was as unsteady as I was. Fortunately, he was a big, strong guy.
It got significantly louder as the evening wore on.
I don't remember anything about the party after the 1988 DoG Match in San Diego, but that one was a foregone conclusion. This one was not. Neither team was confident of victory, as both boats were untested in combat and notoriously prone to breakdowns.
It was a miracle both boats finished the second race in one piece in 2010. It was pretty damn sloppy.
I don't remember much about the long walk back to my apartment, except that it was cold, and I didn't remember it being so far from the base. Miraculously, I made it back in one piece.
The next day it was time to pack up and get ready to head home, and think about everything that had happened over the previous two years:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, …”
Great post! True, alarm bells were going off on both boats, amazing they finished.
How long were you there for? Enjoyed several places on Malvarossa Beach including my hotel for about a week, in and around the races.
The Cup is hollow, right? Do you recall how they were able to plug it for holding champers?
How long were you there for? Enjoyed several places on Malvarossa Beach including my hotel for about a week, in and around the races.
The Cup is hollow, right? Do you recall how they were able to plug it for holding champers?
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As far as I can tell, despite the legend, the bottom is solid, since every winner drinks out if it. Maybe a plug was made somewhere along the line. The picture below of the Kiwis shows the standard drill. You can see why you might be concerned about knocking your teeth out, especially when everyone is sobriety-challenged and jostling one another.
I was in Valencia several times, typically for a few days up to a couple of weeks at a time, including the weeks before and during the Match.
floater
Super Duper Anarchist
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floater
Super Duper Anarchist
you know. those two B's really do have much in common.
shebeen
Super Anarchist
how did they get it from valencia back to SanFran, one piece on top of a container ship or deconstructed? if the latter then why not reassemble on site?
Alinghi 5 is still where she finished in valencia
No idea, but I could see just sticking it on a container ship, not like it'd fit in a container if dissassembled anyway. If they did dissmantle it and reasemble it prehaps it was simply that there was no space to reassamble at hq, its on a lake afterall.
floater
Super Duper Anarchist
not even a lake - just an architect designed water feature on the Oracle campus (although perhaps tidally fed). Still, it's much cooler than your average corporate art - if you ask me..
floater
Super Duper Anarchist
and the 'art' it replaced..
This video is mostly ridiculous, but it does show how DZ went to Valencia. Good chance it returned in similar fashion. (no, I do not get payments for click-views, sheesh...
) Ocean Lady (for BOR, from SD) and the Cassandra B (for Alinghi, from RAK) were the container ship names carrying their yachts to Valencia. They arrived within just hours of each other.Just for fun, this is from leaving Anacortes where DZ was born and did the first sail trialings. Stingette did this for me... including choosing the muzic She did the 'movements' too, we had some good laughs.
edit: By complete coincidence, I had a conversation in a pub one night not long after this voyage, with the guy who had captained the tug that towed the barge to SD. Apparently a BOR guy joined them for the trip, he said the guy was cool, but got tired of what the chef (a big fat guy who was there sharing drinks with the captain, so it could been just fun ribbing) was cooking up.. I forget all their names but it is a cool memory, 'close to home.' The 'chef' guy's nickname is Tugboat.
She did the 'movements' too, we had some good laughs.edit: By complete coincidence, I had a conversation in a pub one night not long after this voyage, with the guy who had captained the tug that towed the barge to SD. Apparently a BOR guy joined them for the trip, he said the guy was cool, but got tired of what the chef (a big fat guy who was there sharing drinks with the captain, so it could been just fun ribbing) was cooking up.. I forget all their names but it is a cool memory, 'close to home.' The 'chef' guy's nickname is Tugboat.
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shebeen
Super Anarchist
I don't think we will see boats as ridiculous as this ever again.
Even the ones we have aren't even useful it seems. I think you could buy A5 from the city of Valencia for $1. Imagine putting a wing and foils on that?
