America's Cup Power Plays and Growing Sailing Through Learning
by Mark Jardine 28 May 17:00 UTC
Emirates Team NZ - Race 5 - 37th America's Cup - Barcelona - Day 4 - October 12, 2024 © Ricardo Pinto / America's Cup
There's always so much speculation and intrigue in-between each edition of the America's Cup. Everyone wants to know what is happening behind closed doors, inside the teams, and when the Challengers meet with the Defender.
There are inevitable leaks, and sometimes deliberate misinformation put out there to see if a rival will bite and give away some vital piece of information. The America's Cup is an obsession to those who try and win it, and with some extremely powerful individuals involved the stakes are incredibly high.
The past two weeks have seen a combination of official news releases and team statements. Some make sense while others are baffling. Coherent messaging is good, while airing dirty laundry in public is never a good look.
So what do we know that we didn't before?
The venue for starters. Naples, Italy will host the 38th America's Cup, and I can think of no finer place for the event. The Italians are passionate about sailing, the city is beautiful and the winds could be perfect... until we hear, "it's never normally like this."
Then the 'final draft' details of the crew requirements were released. The cyclors are gone, replaced by batteries, and the AC75 will be crewed by the four sailors we saw before, plus one female sailor, one youth sailor and one guest spot for the likes of owners, celebrities or media (which maybe wishful thinking from me).
Does this mean the Youth and Women's America's Cups won't happen this time? If so, it's a massive disappointment, but I can imagine someone, somewhere, claiming it wasn't cost effective and didn't reach the required engagement. Building new events takes time, and in the America's Cup world of peaks and troughs that timescale is elongated. Yes, the AC40s are expensive, but the up-side of having dedicated events for the youth and women is too hard to ignore in my opinion.
Then there's the question of which teams will actually challenge the Kiwis to try and wrestle the Auld Mug off them. The Italians and French look certain, the Americans look like they're challenging, but could pull the plug if the dice look too loaded, and the British - who let us not forget are the Challenger of Record - need to find backing fast. This is where the Alinghi question comes in... will Ernesto Bertarelli end up combining forces with Sir Ben Ainslie to put a challenge together? Stranger things have happened in the America's Cup world...
The relationship between sailing schools and sailing clubs
I've been on a whirlwind tour over the past couple of weeks, which is why this newsletter is later than normal, and also why my head isn't sure if it's day or night. As I write this it seems to be neither as I cross the equator back to the northern hemisphere.
On my travels I have chatted with a huge number of people who are incredibly passionate about sailing, each with their own thoughts on how to grow sailing as a sport. There is commonality, as well as some ideas which are a bit 'out there'. None should be dismissed, but some are easier to implement than others.
One conversation that kept recurring was that of how sailing schools which are linked to clubs are one of the best routes to growing participation and club membership. Learning the ropes the right way, and using the correct terminology, cannot be underestimated. Get it right, and make the learning process enjoyable, and you have the potential to make a sailor for life. Get it wrong and you could put someone off forever. I bet you can think of examples of both amongst your circles of friends.
If you have a sailing school linked to your club, then the likelihood is that people who warm to the sport will become a member. Who knows, they may even start racing, crewing for others to start off with, then maybe buying a boat themselves. They'll talk with their friends, recommending their route into sailing and the lifestyle it has given them. Replicate this in as many clubs as possible and before long sailing participation will be growing fast and in a very healthy place.
Ten days ago in Thailand I spoke with Mr. Nattawut 'Oat' Vongrak, Director of Sailing at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. They have had kids come through the club who have gone on to become world champions and Olympians. Local sailor Nopakkao Poonpat won the 2010 Optimist World Championship and now helms Vayu on the 52 Super Series, undoubtedly the top monohull yacht racing circuit in the world.
Vayu is owned by Tom and Kevin Whitcraft, who are both passionate members of the club and keen to see young Thai sailors emerge on to the world scene. The link between the club's sailing school and success is difficult to ignore.
Then I had lunch yesterday with Terry Wise, owner of Pacific Sailing School, at the Australian 18 Footers League in Double Bay, where he described just how many Cruising Yacht Club of Australia members came through his school. They're now crewing on many of the yachts which take part in the CYCA Winter Series, and have gone on to many other sailing exploits.
Pacific Sailing School is based at the CYCA, which is an exceptional club in an idyllic location. Learning to sail on Sydney Harbour has to be a natural advertisement for the sport, as well as being a serious challenge with the sheer numbers of other craft which use the harbour. If you can sail in Sydney, you can sail anywhere.
Terry has been in the marine business for a long time and has seen it all during that time. His description of the obvious link between good learning and participation chimed with so much of what I've seen and heard elsewhere.
While at the Australian 18 Footers League I also had to get a selfie with the JJ Giltinan Trophy. Having followed the 18' Skiffs for over 40 years, and learned so much of the history of the class from Frank Quealey and John 'Steamer' Stanley last time I was in Sydney, it was a moment that put a big smile on my face.
We are all passionate about sailing, but what I have seen is that if that passion is combined with strategy and a nurturing atmosphere, then great things can, and do, happen at sailing clubs all around the world.
Mark Jardine
Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com Managing Editor