Photo © ACEA / PHOTO GILLES MARTIN-RAGET
The fog at Mark Four. When Oracle Team USA flew out of the fog before sprinting across the finish in the final race on Day Two, it was like watching a ghost emerge from the great beyond. Wicked cool. Way to set the stage for some serious drama, San Francisco.
Joey Newton sliding off the boat. He’s okay — thank goodness — but our hearts were pumping as we watched Oracle Team USA’s sailor fly right off the side of the boat, reminding us of just how fast, powerful and dangerous these new designs can be.
The tight cross on Day One. Who says these cats can’t maneuver as close to each other as monohulls? We had to actively calm ourselves down after skippers Jimmy Spithill and Dean Barker came out gunning for each other during the first race and passed within inches going upwind on the third leg, trying to gain the tactical advantage.
Jimmy Spithill Grimacing. The Oracle skipper is not bashful with his facial expressions when things are going the way of his Kiwis competitors. Spithill’s frustration showed through on Day One, letting the world know that this battle is just as emotional as it is physical and technological.
The moment Oracle won its first race. It’s not that we’re rooting for the Americans over the Kiwis so much as that we want to see a good show. Now that Team Oracle USA knows it can win, and Emirates Team New Zealand knows it can lose, the rest of the racing should get even more intense. We can’t wait for more.
