Key West Is On!
Key West Is On!
(To access SW's complete Key West coverage, click here.)
Sailors from across the USA, in fact from around the world, are geared up for Acura Key West Race Week, and ESPN and Sailing World are teaming up for daily coverage of this mid-winter sailing festival. Stuart Streuli and I will be commenting throughout the week. (For the record, I would rather be sailing.)
All eyes are watching the three-way match between Alinghi's Ernesto Bertarelli, Emirates Team New Zealand's Dean Barker, and ETNZ's former tactician Terry Hutchinson. It will be a tough battle.
Bertarelli also has a tough battle on his hands regarding the America's Cup. At the moment BMW Oracle has the upper hand, and it sounds like we could see a catamaran race next fall in Valencia to determine the 33rd Cup. Perhaps some of the frustration of that procedure will play out on the race course in Key West.
ESPN will have cameras on 2-3 boats everyday, the exclusive footage from which can be seen later this week here on www.sailingworld.com and over at www.espn.com.
Ted Turner on America's Cup Lawsuit
I spent some time with Ted Turner over the holidays at his ranch in New Mexico. He was interested in hearing about the developments in the America's Cup and quite disappointed to hear how the key players have battled it out in court. He made it clear to me that he thinks the super high costs and lack of national crews have hurt the Cup.
Maine-Built Boats
Last week I spent two days interviewing Maine boat builders for some internet reports and a possible future film. There may be four feet of snow on the ground, but in the five facilities I visited the cold doesn't prevent some truly amazing work from taking place. Maine produces the most beautiful yachts anywhere in the world, as the state's builders pass their skills down through the generations. I loved looking at the unique ways that wood and other materials are used.
