This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/sports/a-weather-delay-at-americas-cup-does-not-mean-inactivity.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Weather Delay Doesn’t Mean Inactivity Weather Delay Doesn’t Mean Inactivity
(34 minutes later)
SAN FRANCISCO — Officially, there was no action in the America’s Cup on Tuesday. The combination of a strong ebb tide and wind in San Francisco Bay forced officials to cancel both scheduled races.SAN FRANCISCO — Officially, there was no action in the America’s Cup on Tuesday. The combination of a strong ebb tide and wind in San Francisco Bay forced officials to cancel both scheduled races.
That means the challenger, Emirates Team New Zealand, still has a 7-1 lead and still needs just two victories to win the oldest major trophy in global sport from Oracle Team USA.That means the challenger, Emirates Team New Zealand, still has a 7-1 lead and still needs just two victories to win the oldest major trophy in global sport from Oracle Team USA.
But unofficially, there is always action at this sink-or-swim stage of the Cup, which even after 162 years, has the highest profile and highest stakes of any sailing event. But unofficially, there is always action at this sink-or-swim stage of the Cup, which, even after 162 years, has the highest profile and highest stakes of any sailing event.
Win it, and a team gets everything that matters, including the chance to stage the next Cup where it chooses and, to a large degree, how it chooses. Lose it, and a team becomes just another prospective challenger — at the mercy of the winds and whims of the defender.Win it, and a team gets everything that matters, including the chance to stage the next Cup where it chooses and, to a large degree, how it chooses. Lose it, and a team becomes just another prospective challenger — at the mercy of the winds and whims of the defender.
Given the many millions of dollars that the Oracle owner, Larry Ellison, has lavished on this Cup so far for so little reward or public appreciation, challenging or even abstaining might seem a better business plan at this stage.Given the many millions of dollars that the Oracle owner, Larry Ellison, has lavished on this Cup so far for so little reward or public appreciation, challenging or even abstaining might seem a better business plan at this stage.
But there still does not appear to be another winner-take-all formula quite as extreme as the America’s Cup in elite sport, and although the interviews on the dock were cordial and coherent Tuesday, the sailors and the big, specialized teams that support them all know that their jobs are likely to end if the Cup ends in defeat.But there still does not appear to be another winner-take-all formula quite as extreme as the America’s Cup in elite sport, and although the interviews on the dock were cordial and coherent Tuesday, the sailors and the big, specialized teams that support them all know that their jobs are likely to end if the Cup ends in defeat.
Oracle Team employees continue to talk comeback, citing Australia II’s rally from a 1-3 deficit against Liberty in the 1983 Cup, which ended the Americans’ 132-year winning streak.Oracle Team employees continue to talk comeback, citing Australia II’s rally from a 1-3 deficit against Liberty in the 1983 Cup, which ended the Americans’ 132-year winning streak.
But the odds remain heavily in Team New Zealand’s favor, and on Tuesday in the America’s Cup Park at Pier 27, the end felt near with 50 percent discounts on all America’s Cup apparel in the official store and with fans snapping up hats and shirts before snapping images of the two 72-foot catamarans as their crews prepared to dock out (to no avail).But the odds remain heavily in Team New Zealand’s favor, and on Tuesday in the America’s Cup Park at Pier 27, the end felt near with 50 percent discounts on all America’s Cup apparel in the official store and with fans snapping up hats and shirts before snapping images of the two 72-foot catamarans as their crews prepared to dock out (to no avail).
With their huge wing sails, surprisingly thin in profile, mirroring the verticals of Coit Tower and the Transamerica Pyramid in the distance, it was an evocative scene. A peaceful scene, too, with the sunlight playing tricks with the undulations in the water.With their huge wing sails, surprisingly thin in profile, mirroring the verticals of Coit Tower and the Transamerica Pyramid in the distance, it was an evocative scene. A peaceful scene, too, with the sunlight playing tricks with the undulations in the water.
But peaceful is far from the mood behind the scenes. Team New Zealand, with significant government money but no guarantee of more, needs the victory to guarantee its survival. Oracle Team USA, with Ellison surely hesitating about whether to keep lavishing many more millions on something he has already won, is in the survival business, too.But peaceful is far from the mood behind the scenes. Team New Zealand, with significant government money but no guarantee of more, needs the victory to guarantee its survival. Oracle Team USA, with Ellison surely hesitating about whether to keep lavishing many more millions on something he has already won, is in the survival business, too.
“He loves to be a challenger and he loves New Zealand,” said Bruno Troublé, the former America’s Cup helmsman turned Cup organizer. “But maybe if he loses, he will focus on his island now, on his new personal country.”“He loves to be a challenger and he loves New Zealand,” said Bruno Troublé, the former America’s Cup helmsman turned Cup organizer. “But maybe if he loses, he will focus on his island now, on his new personal country.”
That would be the Hawaiian island of Lanai, which Ellison purchased nearly in its entirety last year. But for this week at least, Ellison remains on what Hawaiians call the mainland as his design teams and sailors explore and re-explore every possible tweak that might keep the momentum in their direction.That would be the Hawaiian island of Lanai, which Ellison purchased nearly in its entirety last year. But for this week at least, Ellison remains on what Hawaiians call the mainland as his design teams and sailors explore and re-explore every possible tweak that might keep the momentum in their direction.
Asking for details on their work is usually about as productive as asking an N.F.L. coach what he learned from watching game film. What is clear is that Oracle has managed to narrow the gap in the last week, winning two of the last three races and getting a true point on the board after starting the Cup with a two-race penalty imposed by an international jury. The jury found that the team had broken rules in preliminary regattas in smaller boats.Asking for details on their work is usually about as productive as asking an N.F.L. coach what he learned from watching game film. What is clear is that Oracle has managed to narrow the gap in the last week, winning two of the last three races and getting a true point on the board after starting the Cup with a two-race penalty imposed by an international jury. The jury found that the team had broken rules in preliminary regattas in smaller boats.
Oracle’s leaders remain privately furious about that judgment, which also deprived them of their lead wing-sail trimmer, Dirk de Ridder, who was suspended. A post-regatta legal challenge from Oracle cannot be ruled out if it loses, particularly if the final score is close. Meanwhile, Oracle has narrowed the gap on the water — in large part — by improving its upwind speed significantly.Oracle’s leaders remain privately furious about that judgment, which also deprived them of their lead wing-sail trimmer, Dirk de Ridder, who was suspended. A post-regatta legal challenge from Oracle cannot be ruled out if it loses, particularly if the final score is close. Meanwhile, Oracle has narrowed the gap on the water — in large part — by improving its upwind speed significantly.
“There are probably four or five changes to the boat, all visible to the naked eye, so I’ll challenge you to find them,” said Dirk Kramers, a design executive for Oracle.“There are probably four or five changes to the boat, all visible to the naked eye, so I’ll challenge you to find them,” said Dirk Kramers, a design executive for Oracle.
Team New Zealand apparently has not found them all yet.Team New Zealand apparently has not found them all yet.
“I’m at least three or four behind,” joked (perhaps) Nick Holroyd, the technical director for Team New Zealand, who sat next to Kramers at a news conference Tuesday.“I’m at least three or four behind,” joked (perhaps) Nick Holroyd, the technical director for Team New Zealand, who sat next to Kramers at a news conference Tuesday.
What came through in that exchange was the techie thrill they and so many others have felt at being part of the newest and fastest generation of Cup yachts.What came through in that exchange was the techie thrill they and so many others have felt at being part of the newest and fastest generation of Cup yachts.
“I’m like a kid in a candy store here,” Kramers said.“I’m like a kid in a candy store here,” Kramers said.
The rules governing the candy store shifted significantly in May after Andrew Simpson, a sailor with the challenger Artemis Racing, died when the team’s AC72 capsized during training in San Francisco Bay.The rules governing the candy store shifted significantly in May after Andrew Simpson, a sailor with the challenger Artemis Racing, died when the team’s AC72 capsized during training in San Francisco Bay.
This Cup, which has brought the venerable event into the extreme-sport era, was also supposed to allow the teams to compete in a wide range of wind conditions and avoid the cancellations that have hurt its appeal and marketability.This Cup, which has brought the venerable event into the extreme-sport era, was also supposed to allow the teams to compete in a wide range of wind conditions and avoid the cancellations that have hurt its appeal and marketability.
The original wind limit for the Cup match was 33 knots. But after Simpson’s death and extensive negotiations, Cup officials lowered the upper range to 23 knots, and the ebb tide lowered it further Tuesday.The original wind limit for the Cup match was 33 knots. But after Simpson’s death and extensive negotiations, Cup officials lowered the upper range to 23 knots, and the ebb tide lowered it further Tuesday.
“As frustrating as it may seem, I think the safety rules are in place for all the right reasons,” said Ken Read, a former Cup helmsman who is now a television analyst.“As frustrating as it may seem, I think the safety rules are in place for all the right reasons,” said Ken Read, a former Cup helmsman who is now a television analyst.
Team New Zealand was once the team pushing for higher wind limits, but with Oracle appearing to thrive in the upper ranges in the last few days, the New Zealanders are now all for extra caution.Team New Zealand was once the team pushing for higher wind limits, but with Oracle appearing to thrive in the upper ranges in the last few days, the New Zealanders are now all for extra caution.
Oracle officials made a request on Monday’s day off to raise the wind limits by one knot. They also proposed that races no longer be stopped once they have begun if the winds increase, which happened on Saturday.Oracle officials made a request on Monday’s day off to raise the wind limits by one knot. They also proposed that races no longer be stopped once they have begun if the winds increase, which happened on Saturday.
“I think now the crews are so expert and the boats are hopefully very fit,” said Tom Ehman, the vice commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club and a key member of Oracle’s brain trust. “So you can do some things that maybe three or four months ago did not seem reasonable.”“I think now the crews are so expert and the boats are hopefully very fit,” said Tom Ehman, the vice commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club and a key member of Oracle’s brain trust. “So you can do some things that maybe three or four months ago did not seem reasonable.”
Reasonable or not, Oracle’s proposal, which required mutual consent, was rejected by Team New Zealand, which should come as no surprise at this all-or-nothing phase of another America’s Cup when mutual consent is every bit as elusive as job security.Reasonable or not, Oracle’s proposal, which required mutual consent, was rejected by Team New Zealand, which should come as no surprise at this all-or-nothing phase of another America’s Cup when mutual consent is every bit as elusive as job security.