DAY OFF! Aug 31, 06:38
In the America's Cup, a day with no racing has, historically, been called a "lay day." Not sure why, and I need to check with Cup historian John Rousmaniere or perhaps Commodore Dyer Jones (former NYYC Race Committee chair and currently serving as the overall "Regatta Director" for ACM and the 32nd AC) to find out if they know. If any of you reading this knows why, please send me a note or add a comment to the bottom of this post.
In the 32nd AC the organizers are no longer using the expression "lay day." Instead we have "reserve days" and "off days." A reserve day is, well, just that -- held in reserve for racing if we have not completed the scheduled number of races in the prior days. An "off day" is a day on which no racing can take place, irrespective of whether all the prior scheduled races have been completed.
Today and tomorrow are technically "reserve days," but due to the consistently (and surprisingly) good wind here the past week all the races (66 matches!) were completed on schedule, and we now find ourselves with two very welcome days off.
Or at least today is a day off for most. Not necessarily the shore teams (boat builders, sail makers, etc) many of whom will still be going at it, though no doubt all will try to take at least some time to relax. Then there are those of us who liaise with the other teams and organizers on the various sporting and marketing issues that always need discussion and resolution. For us "lay day" means "meeting day", and so it is today.
It is not just the teams who need a break. The largely volunteer race committee (several hundred mostly locals led by Dyer Jones, Peter Reggio and Harold Bennett) and other regatta officials have also been working non-stop for many days now.
I suspect that tomorrow most of the teams will be back at it -- being sure the boats, equipment, people and all other systems are go for the fleet racing Act 7 which begins Friday at 1200. We may even launch and sail for a couple hours tomorrow, as likely will some of the other teams.
Otherwise, today, I think Copenhagen may be the goer -- it is probably the first and last chance many in the "America's Cup family" (as ACM have taken to calling us, same as the IOC uses the term "Olympic family") will have to see the Little Mermaid, Tivoli, and perhaps a few other of Copenhagen's, er, interesting attractions.
For me, there are a few of the above-mentioned meetings, and a chance to catch up on email, check in on the domestic front, return a number of overdue calls, and post a few things here I think you will find entertaining.
For the record, the final results of Act 6:
1. Alinghi (SUI) 11 pts
2. BMW Oracle Racing (USA) 10
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 8
4. Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA) 8
5. Desafio Espanol (ESP) 6
6. +39 Challenge (ITA) 6
7. Mascalzone Latino (ITA) 5
8. Victory Challenge (SWE) 4
9. K-Challenge (FRA) 3
10. United Internet Team Germany (GER) 2
11. Team Shosholoza (RSA) 2
12. China Team (CHN) 1
Regardless what you call it,
today most have a very
welcome day off.
In the 32nd AC the organizers are no longer using the expression "lay day." Instead we have "reserve days" and "off days." A reserve day is, well, just that -- held in reserve for racing if we have not completed the scheduled number of races in the prior days. An "off day" is a day on which no racing can take place, irrespective of whether all the prior scheduled races have been completed.
Today and tomorrow are technically "reserve days," but due to the consistently (and surprisingly) good wind here the past week all the races (66 matches!) were completed on schedule, and we now find ourselves with two very welcome days off.
Or at least today is a day off for most. Not necessarily the shore teams (boat builders, sail makers, etc) many of whom will still be going at it, though no doubt all will try to take at least some time to relax. Then there are those of us who liaise with the other teams and organizers on the various sporting and marketing issues that always need discussion and resolution. For us "lay day" means "meeting day", and so it is today.
It is not just the teams who need a break. The largely volunteer race committee (several hundred mostly locals led by Dyer Jones, Peter Reggio and Harold Bennett) and other regatta officials have also been working non-stop for many days now.
I suspect that tomorrow most of the teams will be back at it -- being sure the boats, equipment, people and all other systems are go for the fleet racing Act 7 which begins Friday at 1200. We may even launch and sail for a couple hours tomorrow, as likely will some of the other teams.
Otherwise, today, I think Copenhagen may be the goer -- it is probably the first and last chance many in the "America's Cup family" (as ACM have taken to calling us, same as the IOC uses the term "Olympic family") will have to see the Little Mermaid, Tivoli, and perhaps a few other of Copenhagen's, er, interesting attractions.
For me, there are a few of the above-mentioned meetings, and a chance to catch up on email, check in on the domestic front, return a number of overdue calls, and post a few things here I think you will find entertaining.
For the record, the final results of Act 6:
1. Alinghi (SUI) 11 pts
2. BMW Oracle Racing (USA) 10
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 8
4. Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA) 8
5. Desafio Espanol (ESP) 6
6. +39 Challenge (ITA) 6
7. Mascalzone Latino (ITA) 5
8. Victory Challenge (SWE) 4
9. K-Challenge (FRA) 3
10. United Internet Team Germany (GER) 2
11. Team Shosholoza (RSA) 2
12. China Team (CHN) 1
Regardless what you call it,
today most have a very
welcome day off.
by TFE
