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Post by delticman on Sept 15, 2013 23:47:49 GMT 12
I was driving between Atherton and Innifail, so a kind friend sent me a text or I would have never known. The local TV programmes did report on wins for the Silver Ferns and All Blacks. If you have been cold at home, it's been up to 31C over the last two days.
Looking forward tomorrow to seeing my first Eagle DW1.
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Post by ngatimozart on Sept 16, 2013 14:55:12 GMT 12
We picked this morning as our morning to settle in and watch both races live. Looks like we made the right choice, judging from the excitement level. ' ' 'the cost of holding this thing in Auckland if Team New Zealand take the cup again. It interests me that there seems to be this implict assumption that, if the next contest is held in NZ, it will be held in Auckland. One of NZ's major problems is the population drift from the regions to Auckland and the consequential depopulation and economic stagnation of many other parts of the country. As a result, Auckland is suffering from housing shortages and traffic delays. Therefore would it not make social and economic sense to hold the contest at some regional city rather than in Auckland? Given the economic impact of both the infrastucture build and the expected visitor numbers, surely a city like Gisborne or Whangarei would experience a rapid and substantial revitalization if this contest was held in their waters. This could be achieved by making any Government funding of the event conditional on a regional location. Where else would we have the associated infrastructure, population and sailing conditions to support such an event? Wellington wouldn't be a starter because of the wind - too much of it. Christchurch - because physically couldn't fit such an events shore support requirements into Lyttelton Harbour. Dunedin ? Gisborne ? Whangarei maybe as only a 2 &1/4 hour drive from Auckland. The regions won't have the capital to invest in such an event and that would require a far larger stake from the govt. Then if you do have the cup in non Auckland region will the infrastructure be used sufficently afterwards to warrant such funding? Or will it be left to decay.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 16, 2013 15:39:39 GMT 12
All very good questions.
But surely someone should be asking them, rather than just automatically assuming that Auckland will be the venue.
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Post by phil82 on Sept 16, 2013 15:57:39 GMT 12
[quote author=" ngatimozart" Wellington wouldn't be a starter because of the wind - too much of it.. [/quote] Perhaps the large numbers of yachties who regularly sail on Wellington Harbour might not agree with the that comment. To the contrary,depending on the time of year it is held, there might not be enough wind! Viewing of the races would be far better in Wellington than just about anywhere else because the harbour is a natural amphitheater with lots of viewing points for a regatta! Unless you're on a boat, you'll only see races in the Hauraki Gulf on tv! Where it is held is academic in fact as it will be held in Auckland because the "Challenger of Record" is under the auspices of an Auckland Yacht club...Mercury Bay?
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Post by ngatimozart on Sept 16, 2013 16:05:35 GMT 12
Phil I realise that there are heaps of yachties in Wellington. What I'm getting at is the wind climate over say a one - two year period prior to the start of the Challenger series when some teams will locate here to prepare. It's the long term I am looking at rather than the short term two month window.
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Post by TS on Sept 16, 2013 16:23:42 GMT 12
It doesn't need to be sailed way out in the Hauraki Gulf like in the past. They could not have it on the inner Harbour as that would be to narrow. But it can be held running up the east coast beaches on Aucklands North Shore it would be out of the way of the shipping channel but close enough in for people to get a good look from the beaches and cliff tops up the coast. The other option could be from North Head out towards Browns Island? BUT that would mean they have ships to contend with. And at 40 knts that wouldn't be a good look if something went wrong plus the wind shadow from a ship would not be favourable either. Wellington has a good sized harbour for sure but if they go out past the heads the sea state would become an issue then. Lets see what happens Wednesday first.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 16, 2013 17:28:40 GMT 12
Isn't a significant chunk of the inner Auckland harbour about to be concreted over to enlarge the container terminal?
How about Tauranga?
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Post by TS on Sept 16, 2013 18:10:18 GMT 12
Still bitching about that one Dave. Tauranga has a small Harbour as well so it would have to be out at sea with no real vantage points for the average punter.( Except for the Mount itself)
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Post by beagle on Sept 16, 2013 19:36:28 GMT 12
Dunedin Harbour would be a good size for it. plenty of vantage points
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Post by suthg on Sept 16, 2013 19:38:12 GMT 12
I've been able to have a watch of some of the races, if not tied to contractors working for me, on the management WiFi at work - the company Intranet is quite well guarded and blocking occurs on many sites and all video or streaming. But the Wifi is less protected and we have to manage the links we use as it is monitored. As if I would do something silly... it's my livelihood at stake. But the tvnz streaming video is watched by a few others in my room each race day... on my laptop brought in from home It really has been chalk and cheese some races and yet, like the second race today, the lead changed so many times, because the boats seemed to be so evenly matched. That is what match racing is all about - matched boats racing to the same course and same set of rules. Go Aotearoa! I don't know how those NZ made chase boats keep up at 80km/hr boat speed - the yachts are riding smoothly above the waves, but these chase boats have to fight their way through all that chop and at high speed esp the down wind leg!! It's been a great spectacle.
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Post by ngatimozart on Sept 16, 2013 20:00:40 GMT 12
Isn't a significant chunk of the inner Auckland harbour about to be concreted over to enlarge the container terminal? No, apparently not. The council in its collective wisdom has told the Port Company that it cannot concrete over the area it wants to. IIRC I think they have to go back to the drawing board. I noticed it in passing in the NZ Herald a while back. Unfortunately can't remember when. I am not familiar with Tauranga so would it have an area large enough for a developmentof this size along the waterfront that will not seriously hinder existing beaches and facilities? Would the local infrastructure be able to support such an event? And finally would the local region make good use of the new infrastructure and facilities after the cup has departed? Dunedin Harbour would be a good size for it. plenty of vantage points I did think about Dunedin & Otago Harbour. One thing that Auckland has in its favour is its ability to take the large cruise ships and all those rich fullas fancy private yachts, keeping them close to the team compounds. The inner harbour in Dunedin is not deep enough to take the cruise ships and during the Rugby World Cup they were tied up at Port Chalmers which is an industrial port and town. If they could solve those issues then Dunedin could be a good choice.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 17, 2013 21:20:43 GMT 12
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Post by TS on Sept 17, 2013 21:51:39 GMT 12
Ok Dave I'll bite.... The difference with NZ is whether you like it or not we actually support our teams regardless. But sailing in the US is not on the top of their hit parade, like it is here and that also goes for many other sports as well. Us Kiwi's are a special breed.
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Post by ngatimozart on Sept 17, 2013 22:04:35 GMT 12
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Post by lumpy on Sept 17, 2013 22:37:12 GMT 12
Heres one for the yatching experts . What is the actual format for deciding the finals winner ? I have heard two versions - one is that its the best of 17 races , the other is that its first team to score 9 . Under normal circumstances both of these would amount to exactly the same thing , but with Ocacles penalty , they dont . With the penality taken into account , a " best of 17 " would only require a score of 8 by either team to win ( remembering Oracle would require 10 wins to score 8 ) . If its the firts team to score 9 , then we could be having up to 19 races ?
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Post by ngatimozart on Sept 17, 2013 23:09:44 GMT 12
Originally the format for this set of finals was best of 17 so first to win 9 wins. One win = 1 point. But since Oracle got done for cheating they were docked to points so they started on minus 2. Now for Team NZ to win they have to win 9 races before Oracle can win 11.
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Post by lumpy on Sept 18, 2013 7:13:29 GMT 12
Originally the format for this set of finals was best of 17 so first to win 9 wins. One win = 1 point. But since Oracle got done for cheating they were docked to points so they started on minus 2. Now for Team NZ to win they have to win 9 races before Oracle can win 11. Thanks , thats kind of what I figured must have been the case - they have effectivly made it best of 19 races ( but with only 17 pionts availably from those 19 races , once Oracle got back into a positive score) . Still doesnt sound really fair to me " we will fine you 2 pionts - but give you a couple of extra races to make up for it " ??
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Post by Brett on Sept 18, 2013 7:33:22 GMT 12
Not quite. From the Protocol governing the America's Cup:
So it has always been the first to nine points. The media has consistantly mis-interpreted this as best of 17.
In theory racing can continue through until Christmas if the weather is outside limits or the teams keep getting penalised.
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Post by kiwibeavers on Sept 18, 2013 8:05:07 GMT 12
Unbelievable!!! You find it boring yet you still sit there and watch it. What, got nothing better to do? The spin-off from such an event is huge and can only benefit NZ in the long term. There are loads of people out there who do give a rats and are right behind the event.
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Post by shorty on Sept 18, 2013 21:04:16 GMT 12
Dunedin Harbour would be a good size for it. plenty of vantage points Where I live at Harwood on the Otago Peninsular it is only 15 metres from my front gate to the high water mark so I can regretfully inform you that the Otago harbour is far too shallow in all but the narrow shipping channel for it to be a viable venue. Have a llok on google maps or marinetraffic.com and see for yourself. Pity, actually, as otherwise I could sit at the dining table and watch them go past!
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