04/16/24
September 26, 2003
Twenty years ago today, the longest winning streak in the history of sports was ended when "Australia II" won the America's Cup. The event is celebrated in Australia and marked a monumental change in the premier event of the sport of sailing. I still remember where I was. (some consider it all to be a myth)
This sport just strikes me as being even more uppity and richie rich than golf. Sporting events with long pedigrees are the calling card of the diletante classes. The longer it's been around the more rich, white business criminals involved.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 02:09 PM on September 26, 2003
fight the power!
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:47 PM on September 26, 2003
Has anyone seen the made for tv movie about the lauded winged keel's coming out party? It's really quite good, if you can stand Aussies in short-shorts and rugby shirts for 2 hours. The NY Yacht club is like the Evil Empire, while the boxing Roos are the Rebel Alliance. Its sweet. Nowadays, I think where sailing is at are Around the world races....peeps die and shit. No tea an crumpets after a pleasant jaunt around the Cape.
posted by garfield at 03:04 PM on September 26, 2003
Ugh - the vanity of it all. Even those around the world races are competed at by bored rich people. Yes, you Richard Branson, get the fuck off my TV set with your latest failed attempt at making your cock seem bigger. Yeah!
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 04:19 PM on September 26, 2003
Not so....My cous is involved. Or trying to be at least...all depends on the results of the race to HI from Van city. The actual boats are hoity-toity, in a 'holy shit that thing is like a Ferrari for the water' kinda way, but the blokes that spin those cranks are blue-collar at heart. The skips, well, being bread in the Yacht club bar can stain a man's soul. "Gilligan, get over here with that scotch and soda!!!! Why I oughta!!!"
posted by garfield at 04:47 PM on September 26, 2003
The bad news was it took the Cup away and ended the Newport of my youth. The good news was it ended the chance of running into Dennis Conner or Ted Turner in Newport.
posted by yerfatma at 10:21 AM on September 29, 2003
Incidentally, aacheson and I watched Swiss America's Cup winner "Alinghi" race Larry Ellison's "Oracle BMW" on San Francisco Bay last week. It was good action and re-affirms my hope that the Bay can one day host an America's Cup competition.