America's Cup!

America's Cup!

It will only be a short time before the Louis Vuitton Cup will have been won and the challenger will have been decided for the 32 America's Cup in Valencia, Spain. In the meantime, the defender, Alinghi (Switzerland), are busy practicing and working the kinks out in preparation for their defense of the Cup.

The Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals have held some surprizes. To begin with, the American team (BMW Oracle) was eliminated in 6 races by the Italians. They were utterly annihilated, never leading around a mark. The only reason they won one race is because they managed to take the lead on a down wind leg in race two. The Spanish team has also faired fairly well against Emirates Team New Zealand, with that serious headed for a seventh match. Eventually, I expect the Kiwis to win the Louis Vuitton Cup and challenge the Swiss for the America's Cup. But provided they get past the hometown favorites, the Italians could yet give them a run for their money.

It will be interesting to see what the sailing conditions are like for the America's Cup. The wind conditions are expected to be stronger then they have been during the Louis Vuitton Cup. But it will be something new for both the challenger and the defender.

Enjoy the rest of the Louis Vuitton Cup and 32 America's Cup.