SailGP

[pixsail]

To be fair, JPN is by far the weakest franchise. At least FRA have an event and can build sponsorship on that.

JPN on the other hand were probably initially included in the hope softbank would be drawn in. But three years later and I can't say I see a 'team identity' around them. All the press is about how great Nathan the wind whisperer is... and now he's off to do the AC. It will be incredibly difficult to pull in money from here. 

GER and ITA could field highly competive crews without the need for AC35 ringers.

Honestly though, I'd love team set up around a brand and just crewed with barbarians... I'd get sponsorship from Siemens and get all their value back from sailing through wind farms demonstrating the power of the wind... and for some irony with the sponsors name I'd only have  female crew.

and this seems to be on track for FRA to find the necessary funding (last tip & shaft) : 

"As for the other teams - Australia, France, United States, Spain, New Zealand, Japan - they must find their own funding to support all or part of an annual operating budget which varies between 6 and 8 million dollars and no longer is or soon needs not to depend on subsidies from Larry Ellison. France are on the right track as confirmed by Bruno Dubois: "We have signed a partner who will be announced at the end of the month, both as a sponsor and investor in the team. We are  also in the process of signing a sponsor to fully support the Saint-Tropez event and we are in discussions with others for the main sponsorship of the team. We are not entirely self-financed, today we are talking about half the budget, but we are quite happy and Russell (Coutts) is too."

Dubois can say nothing on the subject but the project should become part of a French challenge for the America's Cup based around, among others, Stéphane Kandler, Franck Cammas and Quentin Delapierre, the skipper of the French SailGP team. Hence the recent announcement of the end of Delapierre’s Olympic preparation in Nacra 17 with Manon Audinet, shortly preceded by an identical announcement from the team's newcomer, Kevin Peponnet - replacing the Englishman Leigh McMillan (who has returned to Ineos for the America's Cup) to trimming the wing - who had jusy just started an Olympic programme with Aloïse Retornaz in a mixed 470."

 

[Jean-Baptiste]

No way SAP is sponsoring a team in an Oracle event!! 

Also no way RC would let them in... 

Very good point, I overlooked that conflict.

 

[JALhazmat]

agreed, remember team china just disappeared off the radar from S1 when there was no real momentum/succession planning. I don't see a JPN team in S4 if there's no natahan - but then where would he drive, a new team or NZ maybe? There is a bit of a merry go round with crew anyway in the whole series.

The grinders are obviously key but seem practical enough to place with mainly local muscle when required.

The "afterguard"/back three that are critical to the boat are hardly representative of the flags they fly under.

GBR even has two aussies from (Ineos GB here, so going nowhere)

DEN has an aussie trimming

US have got USAflagged jimmy and gbr CJ

JAP are in their 3rd season, but have even used Ceco bruni to have a full foreign afterguard

NZ currently have an aussie on flight control

CAN of course has phil in their opening season, but now pulled in the vacant Draper to replace their kiwi with a CAN passport

SUI the other new team have got some mercenaries across the board too.

so that only leaves SPA/FRA that have now gone all local language crew, and the aussies have always been locals.

so to sum up, just a flag really.

Nick Hutton on Aus last year might beg to differ 

 

[bag dad]

Team China left because China the sovereign nation told them they couldn't call the team that unless it was managed by a chinese national sporting organization.

 

[Stingray~]

from here, bold mine Spithill confident after learning from opening SailGP Bermuda stop - automobilsport.com

- Throughout last week's training and racing on the Great Sound, the team focused on updating the tactical playbook in addition to integrating new athletes into the mix on the fast F50 catamaran such as California native Hans Henken as Flight Controller and compatriot Luke Muller as a Grinder.

 

[dg_sailingfan]

@shebeen

You are only partly correct about the Great Britain SailGP Team having two Aussies. Iain Jensen, that is correct BUT Luke Parkinson changed his Nationality from AUS to GBR!

 

[Stingray~]

Awesome Aussies – Rule69.blog

 

[enigmatically2]

Interesting that article that @pixsail quoted. Aus, NZ and USA among the countries without sponsorship. You would have thought USA might get some, but with NZ are doing so badly you wonder whether they will get any, and Aus can't get an AC effort up, so you have to wonder about them, though SailGP would definitely be the poorer without Slinsgby.

Currently you'd have to say that SailGP has the best selection of helms (and crew) of any sailing event. If he leaves that would definitely be weakened

 

[Stingray~]

Interesting that article that @pixsail quoted. Aus, NZ and USA among the countries without sponsorship. You would have thought USA might get some, but with NZ are doing so badly you wonder whether they will get any, and Aus can't get an AC effort up, so you have to wonder about them, though SailGP would definitely be the poorer without Slinsgby.

Currently you'd have to say that SailGP has the best selection of helms (and crew) of any sailing event. If he leaves that would definitely be weakened

Some of the current SailGP crew will for sure leave at some point to concentrate on AC but it may be a while yet. The racing is excellent competition.

 

[dg_sailingfan]

From the Article (for those who haven't a Subscription):

SailGP is a brilliant concept. I would never have taken ownership of the British team last year, and committed to it like we have, if I did not believe that to be the case. But after the start to Season 3 in Bermuda last weekend, I am now more convinced than ever that SailGP is the most exciting thing to happen to professional sailing in my lifetime.

It is a game-changer, on and off the water. You only had to look around you in Bermuda’s Great Sound last week; the best sailors on the planet, in the most exciting machines - the F50 cats truly are rocket-ships - facing off against each other in a rapidly expanding global series. The action was great (even if we were beaten by Australia in the final sail-off), and everyone is now looking forward to the second round in Chicago next month.

SailGP is not yet the finished article. There are still tweaks which could be made to the format, to make it more exciting, more fan-friendly. And we still need more races so that we have fewer ‘dead spots’ in the season. But it is getting there. From five races in Season 1 back in 2019, we had eight last season, and now 10 in Season 3, including new races in Chicago, Singapore and Dubai. There is an 11th due to be announced shortly. You can feel it growing, and we are now up to 10 teams.

There are now serious brands wanting to get involved, like Rolex, and there is serious money up for grabs. Bermuda’s total prize pot was $300,000 with $150,000 going to the winners, $90,000 to second place and $60,000 to third. Add in the $1million prize pot for the overall series win and it starts to become serious.

This is game-changing stuff, creating a real pathway not just for professional sailors - guys like Neil Hunter who came through our academy programme and ended up racing in both the America’s Cup and SailGP - but for all the auxiliary staff, the shore crew, the RIB drivers, the safety personnel and so on.

We had, for instance, a woman with us last weekend, Sophie Heritage, who is from the Isle of Wight, who has joined us on an internship with backing from the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes. She was a great addition to the shore team in Bermuda and hopefully we can help her grow because the reality is there are still very few women in the boatbuilding industry.

The America’s Cup remains the Everest of sailing, of course. It has special event status given its heritage and the scale of the challenge it presents. But that happens once every four years.

While we will be launching our first 40ft test boat this summer, and we are soon to be opening a new training base in Palma, the reality is we will not be racing anything for another 15 months at least, until the first of the America's Cup warm-up events.

The America’s Cup is a design race, with teams pushing the boundaries of marine technology and innovation. SailGP is a one-design series, albeit with ever evolving technology, meaning you really are seeing the best in the world up against each other every few weeks in the same equipment. There are no excuses. You cannot blame the fact that your boat is not as quick.

We were relatively happy with our opening weekend from a sailing perspective. We won a couple of races on the opening day, and were consistent enough on day two to make the final three-boat sail-off. Unfortunately we tried a slightly different approach in the pre-start in the final and mucked up our final gybe, which meant we were late to the line. It was frustrating and we need to get to the bottom of exactly what happened. But I’m proud of the way the team bounced back from that start to overhaul Canada and finish second to Australia who were worthy winners.

There were other notable pluses. We had Nikki Boniface come in to replace Hannah Mills, who is pregnant, as our designated female sailor, and she was brilliant. Especially after being knocked about a bit in training. Nikki was thrown across the boat in heavy winds earlier in the week and had to sit out a whole day on Friday to recover. It takes courage to come back from a knock like that. Nikki not only came back, she really contributed to our result. It is brilliant to see our team growing, and the women’s pathway developing talent like hers.

I will say it again. SailGP is an incredible opportunity for sailing. And one which, in my view, is incumbent upon us in the sport to embrace.

 

[dg_sailingfan]

@Stingray~

Yes, some of the SailGP Sailors will leave for the America's Cup in 2024 BUT the Question is: What happens after AC37? Technically all these Sailors are then unemployed yet again.

Looking in from the outside Ainslie & Team New Zealand seem to be the smartest guys doing both, SailGP and the AC!

Even if Ainslie & INEOS do not win AC37 they can use Bens SailGP Franchise to train and develop British Sailing Talent for a potential future AC Challenge. That is such extremely smart IMO. The same applies to the Kiwis regardless if they defend AC37 or not.

Alinghi have chosen a different approach developing their Sailing Team through the Owner-owned GC32 Series. However having watch the GC32 for a fair bit in 2018 I can tell you the competiton is not at that high Standard SailGP is.

 

[shebeen]

Nick Hutton on Aus last year might beg to differ 

  I stand corrected!

 

[winchfodder]

Is a Russian propaganda machine working for SailGP PR?

If you check on youtube, SailGP official channel, a total of 5,400 people have watched the highlights from the Bermuda gp last weekend.

"The league reported a total broadcast audience (dedicated and secondary) increase of 220% to 823.4 million viewers in Season 2, with the dedicated broadcast audience of 39.2 million representing a 131% increase. There were also 16 million event live stream views on SailGP's digital platforms, including YouTube and Facebook, with a total watch time of 2.5 million hours."

 

[enigmatically2]

Is a Russian propaganda machine working for SailGP PR?

If you check on youtube, SailGP official channel, a total of 5.4k have watched the highlights from the Bermuda gp last weekend.

"The league reported a total broadcast audience (dedicated and secondary) increase of 220% to 823.4 million viewers in Season 2, with the dedicated broadcast audience of 39.2 million representing a 131% increase. There were also 16 million event live stream views on SailGP's digital platforms, including YouTube and Facebook, with a total watch time of 2.5 million hours."

823.4 million viewers, but 2.5 million watch hours? By my calcs that mean on average people watched for 10.9s. Which isn't very good

 

[bag dad]

Even if you give the favorable reading that the the 2.5m hours is for the 16m live stream viewers that still averages out to less then 10m per viewer....

As good as SailGP racing is, and I personally think it's good, sailing is not and will never be a main stream sport.

 

[dg_sailingfan]

Even if you give the favorable reading that the the 2.5m hours is for the 16m live stream viewers that still averages out to less then 10m per viewer....

As good as SailGP racing is, and I personally think it's good, sailing is not and will never be a main stream sport.

I don't think the goal by Russell Coutts & Larry Ellison is to make Sailing a Main Stream Sport. Their goal is to create opportunities Sailors otherwise would not have like for example the Women's Pathway Program.

The flip side is that GC32 & RC44 have no Live Coverage at all.

 

[NeedAClew]

Popped back in to share the news that Dawn Riley, Dirk Kramers and Larry Ellison will be inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame.

Cheers.

https://www.golocalprov.com/sports/americas-cup-hall-of-fame-to-induct-larry-ellison-dirk-kramers-and-dawn-ril


America’s Cup Hall of Fame to Induct Larry Ellison, Dirk Kramers, and Dawn Riley

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Wednesday, May 18, 2022

GoLocalProv Sports Team

 
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America’s Cup Hall of Fame will induct Larry Ellison, Dirk Kramers, and Dawn Riley to Class of 2022. They will be inducted on October 14th at the 2022 America’s Cup Hall of Fame Induction gala at the New York Yacht Club in New York City.

The Hall of Fame is organized by the Herreshoff Marine Museum.

“These individuals have had a profound impact on the America’s Cup,” said America’s Cup Hall of Fame Selection Committee Chair Steve Tsuchiya. “Cup legends aren’t made overnight. The Class of 2022 inductees have put together bodies of work covering many years and many America’s Cup matches. We’re thrilled to welcome them to the Hall of Fame!”

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The America’s Cup Hall of Fame has inducted over ninety individuals since its founding in 1992. Candidates eligible for consideration include members of the crew, designers, builders, syndicate leaders, supporters, chroniclers, and other individuals of merit. Each nominee is judged on the basis of outstanding ability, international recognition, character, performance, and contributions to the sport. The members of the Selection Committee are intimate with the history and traditions of America's Cup and are committed to the integrity of the Hall of Fame.

According to America’s Cup Hall of Fame President & Executive Director Bill Lynn, “The America’s Cup is known for its constant evolution, and this group of inductees is truly emblematic of that dynamic. I want to thank the Selection Committee for their hard work and for giving us three amazing new members of the Hall of Fame.

America’s Cup Hall of Fame Inductees, Class of 2022

Lawrence Joseph “Larry” Ellison (USA) (b. 1944)

Larry Ellison’s ORACLE Team USA won the America’s Cup in Valencia as a challenger in 2010 and defended it successfully in San Francisco in 2013. Both matches were two of the most remarkable in recent times. The 33rd Match in Valencia in 2010 was a so-called “Deed of Gift Match” featuring two extraordinary yachts, multihulls built to the 90ft LWL maximum-limit permitted by the Deed. Ellison’s 113’ trimaran USA 17 defeated Alinghi’s massive catamaran in the match 2-0. USA 17 was powered by a wing-sail towering over 220 feet tall—larger than a wing of a Boeing 747 or an Airbus A380.

Ellison stayed with multihulls for the 2013 defense on San Francisco Bay. Steered by Jimmy Spithill, ORACLE Team USA staged an astonishing comeback, winning eight straight races after being down 8-1 in the first-to-nine-wins series.

The 34th Match in San Francisco transformed the America’s Cup in several important ways. Foiling multihulls were introduced, racing was brought inshore, and races were reduced from 90 minutes to 30. Another important legacy of this match was the creation of graphics which could be applied to the live broadcast showing course boundaries, wind direction and strength, and a gain and loss advantage line to boost understanding for non-sailing fans.

Ellison began his America’s Cup career with the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup challenger trials in Auckland and then raced in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup in Valencia. His run of five America’s Cup campaigns ended in 2017 when the Kiwis avenged their 2013 loss in Bermuda. An avid sports fan, Ellison also owns the Indian Wells tennis tournament, often called the Fifth Major, and the SailGP series raced in 50’ foiling catamarans.

Dirk Kramers (NED/USA) (b. 1952)

Dirk Kramers served as a designer and engineer for eleven America’s Cup campaigns, from the 12-Metre era to the foiling catamarans of the 35th America’s Cup match in Bermuda. Along the way, Kramers earned six America’s Cup wins on teams run by a slew of fellow Hall of Famers including Dennis Conner, Ted Hood, Bill Koch, Ernesto Bertarelli, Russell Coutts, and Larry Ellison.

Born in Hengelo, Netherlands, but now a long-time U.S. national as well, Kramers’ Cup career began when he moved to Marblehead, Massachusetts, to work for Ted Hood who designed, built and skippered INDEPENDENCE. In 1977, Kramers carried out mast, deck and hardware engineering on her as well as the campaign’s other boat, COURAGEOUS—which went onto win the Cup that year.

Kramers started Hall Engineering, an affiliate of Hall Spars, in 1980 for a 14-year stint as managing partner, engineering hundreds of masts and structures. He developed the rig for FRANCE 3 in 1983, and in 1988, he achieved his second America’s Cup victory as a designer of the soft-sail rig for Dennis Conner’s STARS & STRIPES catamaran. He earned his third Cup win as Chief Engineer for Bill Koch’s AMERICA3 campaign in 1992, and he continued with the AMERICA3 Women’s Team in 1995 whose Team Captain was fellow Class of 2022 Inductee Dawn Riley.

He was consultant engineer to challenger YOUNG AMERICA in 2000 before joining ALINGHI to resume a run of Chief Engineer roles. The Swiss team was the first challenger to win in its America’s Cup debut and the first team to bring the famous trophy to Europe (2003) and they successfully defended the Cup in 2007. Kramers’ involvement with technically interesting projects was cemented with his sixth Cup win in 2013 with ORACLE Team USA and the transition to foiling multihulls. In 2017, Kramers continued his Cup career leading the engineering team for Ben Ainslie’s BAR Racing. Currently, he’s working on electric foiling powerboats, alternative concept sailing machines, and various conventional sailing catamarans and monohulls.

Dawn Riley (USA) (b. 1964)

Dawn Riley has enjoyed a long and successful career as an America’s Cup competitor and manager. In 1992 she was recruited to join Bill Koch’s AMERICA3 defense team, and three years later, she was the team captain of the all-women’s America’s Cup crew aboard MIGHTY MARY. When the Cup moved to Auckland, New Zealand for the 30th Defense in 2000, Riley organized a challenge named AMERICA TRUE. Her team advanced to the semi-final round of a highly contested series of races for the Louis Vuitton Cup. In 2007 she was the general manager of the K CHALLENGE based out of France.

Riley gained public exposure and valuable experience as a crew member aboard MAIDEN in the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race. The team exceeded expectations and even won the toughest leg of the race in the Southern Ocean. In between her campaigns with AMERICA3 she skippered HEINEKEN in the 1993-94 Whitbread Race. In 1999, Riley was named Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year for winning major championships in both match racing and fleet racing.

Since 2010, Riley has served as the Executive Director of Oakcliff Sailing, an organization dedicated to building American leaders through sailing. She is the third woman to be inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame following Gertrude Vanderbilt and Lucy Jewett. Her persistent advocacy has encouraged many women to spend more time on the water and to own their own boats.

America’s Cup Hall of Fame Selection Committee

R. Steven Tsuchiya, Chairman

Margherita Bottini

John S. Burnham

Brad Butterworth

William Collier

Germán Frers

Richard Gladwell

Jack Griffin

Halsey C. Herreshoff

Tim Jeffery

Gary Jobson

Andrew Johns

Murray Jones

William H. Dyer Jones

John Lammerts van Bueren

Ken McAlpine

Elizabeth E. Meyer

Angus Phillips

Shirley Robertson

Hamish Ross

Bruno Troublé

Tom Whidden

 

[Stingray~]

Good to see you back, Clew. Several of us were a touch concerned, cheers.

I wonder where Kramers is now; maybe back with Alinghi? 

 

[Stingray~]

posted yet? bermuda highlights vid

 

[terrafirma]

Kudos to Singsby again. Perhaps Jason Waterhouse will also get a gig at American Magic.?  The Aussies seem to have a monopoly on the Sail GP even when they aren't doing too well early. Surely it's more than sail fast and stay out of trouble as the commentators like to think.! 

Slingsby's strength this weekend puts even more pressure on the AM Design Team.  It doesn't have to be perfect, but it has to be close.

Yeah you have to think Slingers has the Golden Touch and he's done it at all sailing levels. He's even jumped on a TP52 and put them on a podium. If the last AC is anything to go by win the start and you have a very good chance of winning the race. The recent Sail GP saw that if you win the start you clear the traffic and it puts you in a winning position. The SAIL GP final should be best of 3 it's very cut throat at one race but I know they simply can't cost that and schedule that in. I thought the recent SailGP was one of the best as the other boats catch up. Not sure what's going on with the Kiwis? Perhaps a care factor issue.?