24 June 2007

It seems stupid

The America's Cup. It just seems stupid. A bunch of rich kids wafting around the Mediterranean. Tacking around to cross a start line, then jiving 'n' stuff around a bunch of inflatable buoys to hopefully cross another line first. All of which takes hours.
Sure, if you're setting yourself up for a decent drinking session it makes sense - sun, surf, babes etc etc. But really. As a sport?

I particularly like the irony of having the boats representing countries, or at least being registered in in a particular country. Doesn't Alinghi have like 11 different nationalities on it? why even bother pretending you're representing some country?

B

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

And yet, if my memory serves me correctly, you spent some pleasant afternoons on an Auckland beach lying in the sun and watching the last Americas Cup races - with no alcohol in sight....

Chris said...

I hold the America's Cup personally responsible for the decline in anyone being interested in sailing as a sport. Eleventy-million dollars per boat, any one of which could in theory be beaten by a single handed dinghy that costs about $2000, sailed by someone having a lot more fun.

Anyway, dontcha know that about 80% of the sailors on all the boats are Kiwis? It's about creating jobs for expats :)

Mr A. P. Salmond, esq. said...

Weirdly, while watching the rugby on Saturday, two screens randomly placed around the pub were actually playing the America's Cup. It was almost like some psych trick to keep folks calm...