As reported in Sail Magazine, the next America’s Cup will be sailed in 2013 in 72′ catamarans with wing sails.
According to officials, the new AC72 class will regularly attain speeds of 30 knots, “excite fans” as they “zip around the racecourse” and leave their 11-member crews “exhilarated and drained after a day of adrenaline-fueled racing.” I’ll bet!
I’m not sure how I feel about this. I think I like innovation, but this just doesn’t feel quite right. Then again, it’s not as if the technologists haven’t been in charge of the America’s Cup for decades anyway… Hm.
I don’t know what the answer is. The last race was a lot more about technology and money than racing. Whether these cats are the best “one-design” to focus on I am not sure, but at least it won’t be the over the top spending free for all of the last race.