Friday Morning, June 29
Yesterday the racing began. I had read about the NASCAR-like
excitement of the America's Cup World Series, but now I've experienced it.
Wow!
The Emirates New Zealand team capsized in their match race against
Luna Rossa Piranha, only to have their gleaming high-tech catamaran turn onto
its rudders in a failed attempt to right it. By the time the boat was
back on its hulls an hour later, the carbon fiber wingsail was severely
damaged, and official reports were that the crew would be working all night to
make the repairs necessary to get Emirates New Zealand back in the water in
time for today's races.
Destination Napa Valley Council President Clay Gregory experienced
the excitement first hand during the fleet race, as guest racer on Team Korea's
catamaran. Clay told me afterwards that he got an aerobic workout while sitting
still. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he was referring to the fact that
his heart was racing the entire time. One thing for sure, he looked like a guy
who had never had such fun in his life.
And this, for me, was the greatest part of the day: the excitement
of the day's races was shared by everyone from the Napa Valley Vintners and
Destination Napa Valley who came out to Newport, regardless of whether they
were sailors or non-sailors. The organizers of the 34th America's Cup
competition have long said that their goal was to create an event that was
accessible to everyone - to create a spectator-friendly arena on the water -
and if the event here at Newport is anything to judge by, they have succeeded
in a big way.
Just ask Linda Reiff, Eric Sklar, Clay Gregory, Will Smith, Allison
Simpson, George Peterson or Darcy Tunt.
Or me, for that matter.
Cheers!
Lester Hardy
Lester Hardy, lawyer by
day, author by night, is the husband of Janet Pagano, Managing Partner at Ovid
Vineyards. An avid sailor, Lester crews for vintner Eric Sklar on Spindrifter at
the Sausalito Yacht Club's Tuesday night races, and is currently working on a
biography of Tom Blackaller, a San Francisco sailing legend who competed in
three America's Cup events. You can reach Lester at ltrainhardy@yahoo.com
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