SFGate.com
Are the shore crews running out of duct tape?
Thanks to the latest mechanical difficulty, the sailing regatta on San Francisco Bay has degenerated from a noncompetition to a self-parody.
The sailing has been taking place for more than six weeks, and there hasn't been a close race yet. No matter which teams are sailing, every race turns into the equivalent of Alabama vs. UT Chattanooga. Except that Chattanooga always shows up.
The 72-foot catamarans, as has been clear for quite a while, are simply too big - and too fragile - for the winds of San Francisco. They might as well be made of plastic instead of carbon fiber.
This time, the blame went to a broken control arm. The device, which maneuvers the wing, forced Luna Rossa Challenge to withdraw during Monday's first scheduled race in the Louis Vuitton Cup finals. In a reprise of Saturday's opener, New Zealand only had to finish the race to chalk up a win.
The Kiwis lead 2-1 in the best-of-13 series and haven't broken a sweat yet, although they did get soaked in Saturday's near-pitchpole mishap.
Monday's second race was postponed because of excessive winds. Good thing for the Italians, who otherwise would have played their only no-sail card of the series because they couldn't have raced, according to strategist-grinder Giles Scott.
"It's getting massively frustrating," he said. "It's almost like it's who can get around the course rather than who gets around it first."
Tuesday is a practice day, so no races are scheduled. The racing will resume Wednesday (maybe) with races scheduled at 1:10 and roughly 2:10 p.m.
In Monday's race, Luna Rossa was short-circuited as it rounded the second (leeward) mark. It was already more than 100 meters behind at that point, following typically flawless jibes by the Kiwis.
"You never like to win when the other team breaks down," New Zealand grinder Chris Ward said. "To have three races wiped out (by equipment issues) is very usual."
He thinks the boats will be under less stress after a flood tide begins Tuesday.
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| The cup going under... This says it all... |
"I would not be sleeping pretty well if I was the designer of one of these boats," Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena said.
Even an Oracle Team USA boat was in sick bay, and the defender's two catamarans are merely practice-racing. Ben Ainslie's boat broke a rudder Sunday after damaging it on a mooring buoy near Marina Green a day earlier.
Luna Rossa at least had a good start Monday. It gave the Kiwis a run for their money before New Zealand, with inside position, rounded the first mark in front. New Zealand forged a 142-meter lead on the second of five scheduled legs. Soon thereafter, it was over for the Italians.
This is the most gremlin-plagued regatta in America's Cup history.
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