Hi Mark,

...You obviously understand the complexities of these boats far better than I, the subtleties of trimming the wings, and so on... I think I do have an appreciation for the teamwork and coordination of the crew to keep these things on the foils during a jibe, etc...

Yes, I missed the lead change during one of Saturday's races, I had switched off to the incredible 5th set between Djokovich and Wawrinka during that time... I will admit, the racing on Sunday was far more exciting, the 4th race was great, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the next ones... Who knows, I might become a convert to this type of racing, in the end... (grin)

However, I do seem to recall some pretty dramatic AC racing in monohulls in the past... I thought the series in Fremantle was spectacular, and the first time Bertarelli squared off against the Kiwis in Valencia was about as good as it gets, some of those races were incredible... For sure, my opinion is colored by having watched the Twelves in Newport in the 70's for the first time. I've had the good fortune to witness first hand some very memorable moments in sports over the years, and I still rate being out on Rhode Island Sound that day back in '83 when Australia won it from Conner will always be near the top of my list... And, I'm not so sure that it would have been made any more memorable, had they been racing AC 72s at the time...

I've always thought that the best chance for yacht racing to enter the consciousness of the American public, would be for the AC to come to San Francisco Bay... One of the most magnificent sailing venues in the world, a natural amphitheater with spectacular and challenging conditions, absolutely perfect for both television, and viewing from shore... I've shot a few of the Big Boat Series years ago on the Bay, the sailing just doesn't get any more spectacular than that... i just think they went overboard with these boats for such a venue, as the sailing alone on the bay is so spectacular in itself, and the result of having boats that can't be raced in the conditions that prevail there is really unfortunate...

Anyway, thanks for your post, you've given me a much better appreciation for these boats, and this racing, than I had before... I still think a real yacht race should have an upwind start, however, and feature more than a single weather leg... (grin)

best regards,

Jon