10 Reasons To Get Excited About America’s Cup
[Written by Adam Barboza, Project Manager for the ACBDA]
The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series takes place in Bermuda from October 16-18. Here are ten things to know about the event:
1.It’s like NASCAR or Formula One on the water
The America’s Cup racing that will take place in June 2017 is a “Match Racing” competition, where teams race each other head-to-head. The format for the Louis Vuitton World Series features “Fleet Racing” with all the teams on the race course together, so there’s a lot of action happening at once.
2. Bermuda’s turn in the Spotlight
NBC Sports Network will be beaming Bermuda across the U.S. during a 2-hour broadcast on Sunday, October 18. There will also be further television coverage in 100 territories around the world. This is a chance for Bermuda and Bermudians to shine on the global stage.
3. Rub shoulders with Iconic Brands
We Bermudians love our sense of fashion and style. This event pairs Bermuda with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Moet, BMW and more. These brands will look to maximize their exposure through the America’s Cup and every time they do… they will be telling Bermuda’s story too!
4. Bermudians are Making it Happen
At every level Bermudians and their businesses are being contracted to deliver this event – brand management, live video coverage, staging, lighting, big screens, security, catering, tent rentals, bouncy castles, DJs, dance groups and the list goes on. Plus, the 59 vendors who will line the streets of the “Our Bermuda” Event Village and Festival.
5.The Best of the Best will be here
The very best sailors, and some of the best athletes, in the world are competing. Skippers like Jimmy Spithill, the youngest skipper to ever win the America’s Cup. Or Ben Ainslie, with four Gold Medals for Britain, is the most decorated Olympic sailor in history. New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling is the youngest in the fleet, promoted to the senior squad after winning the inaugural Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. Nathan Outtteridge from Artemis Racing is a multiple world champion and Olympic gold medalist, whileSoftBank Team Japan’s Dean Barker first won the America’s Cup in 2000 and has raced in six America’s Cup campaigns and other than the America’s Cup there is very little that Groupama Team France’s Frank Cammas has not won.
6.The AC45F
The boats being raced are truly space-age craft that seemingly defy the laws of physics. They travel faster than the wind they are sailing in and are powered only by a wing-sail and the muscle of the crew.
7. The AC45F has a great nick-name
Smaller than the AC72 raced in the last America’s Cup, the AC45 was famously dubbed “The Little Sister with Attitude”, because of its speed and mobility. That was before it was fitted with hydrofoils that allow it to seemingly fly above the water, hence the ‘F’. Maybe they will become known as, “The Little Sister with Altitude.”
8. It’s a warm up to the ‘Main Event’
This is the first chance for many Bermudians to experience the America’s Cup. The Louis Vuitton World Series event takes place over 3 days and has taken months to plan. By comparison, the America’s Cup Qualifiers and Finals in 2017 will take place over period of about six weeks!
9.It is another world class “shoulder season” event that will bring visitors and exposure to Bermuda
Just the number of people involved with the teams, plus the media, partners and other stakeholders mean we can expect a week of busy hotels, taxis, bars and restaurants.
10.The event will be based in Hamilton
While the racing will be in the Great Sound, the boats, crews and activities will bring a buzz to the “Our Bermuda” Festival and Event Village on Front Street from Friday October 16 through Sunday October 18. In 2017, all of the shoreside action shifts to a purpose built event village at Dockyard.
- Adam Barboza
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Awesome. I cannot wait!
How can I get excited when there is an increase in job losses, frozen wages for 8 years and prices going up every year.
And not everybody is a NASCAR and Formula One fan, but I guess it will be a treat to see all the colorful activity.
Why don’t you get excited about how public employees have guaranteed employment, whether they’re needed or not. Or the fact they get 6+ weeks vacation plus 70 sick days. Or the fact that civil servants get increased salaries while the rest of us turkeys who pay for them get no salary increases, and have to justify our economic existence every day.
If you don’t want to watch the races, don’t. Nobody gives a rat’s about self-centered attention-seeking whiners.
Opps, did I strike a nerve?
the only nerve you strike is that one cell in your little empty always negative brain box. are you ever positive or happy with anything. It is a big world outside your universe.
Nope u just sounded like an ash….
I’d be very excited to be a civil servant with the defined pension plan and a protected job for life with no fear of redundancy. Even better is that is that my performance, and in the event it’s less than par, it still doesn’t affect my salary. So I can spend my time commenting online how hard done by I am when $ is being spent on AC when in fact I one of the few lucky ones in Bermuda
Like Hanbury and crew.
LMFAO
You are an a–.
….and we pretty much know who these comments are coming from!!! The Entitled!?
and what about the others out of work?
because of these few public workers does that justify the high hopes the rest of the people had,?
Don’t worry OJ; maybe the next bid would be for the football or cricket World Cup (how I would love that). Not into that you say? Than maybe Chess? After all your personal interest is the driving factor here.
lol.
I think a beer pong tournament would be more up his alley or based on the lack of maturity of his comments, a pin the tail on the donkey party would be fitting of his mental age group
How bout a pole and stilettos.
I like to make it RAIN.
Fail….
you might melt or short circuit in the rain
this boat race is not for a certain class of people,and nothing has trickled down to anybody that needs it,,the rich will get richer and that’s about it, people in need will fall for anything that gives a little hope,we actually should be use to it by now
FANTASTIC! Great read! So excited! Great article Adam!
I saw Adam on CITV talking about all the new sailing events that have been lined up between now and AC35. If anyone doubts the impact of the America’s Cup these new additions to the sailing calendar should show the unexpected knock on effect, that like the Newport Bermuda race, will bring additional economic activity to Bermuda. Fantastic work.
Great article. Everyone in Bermuda should get behind this event and help make it a success. Regardless of whether you think it was/is a good idea and regardless of your views of other issues in our community, this is a huge opportunity for Bermuda to shine on a global stage and surely NO ONE can think that is not a great idea! Make it happen.
Can’t wait. Will be out on the water seeing the sights. All positive!
Can’t wait. See you on the water!
We all know who these comments are coming from! Almost laughable!! Have any of you ever been to an Americas Cup race/event? I unfortunately had the curiosity to go and experience while living off island for a while.I don’t see what the hype is! I know Bermudians, after five minutes the excitement of seeing these large crafts moving at high speeds will quickly go away. As an owner of a boat and basically live on the water,I was quite disappointed and soon bored! Unfortunately I was stuck there for the day. Thank the lord for alcohol!! Never again! This event is only bringing a very short term fix to the economy by providing HUSTLES for Bermudians.I guess we should be thankful.As some would say a half loaf is better than none at all!
A lot of Bermudians enjoy the power boat races and several have a need for speed themselves, maybe locals will turn out in numbers to check it out.