A miracle: Team Oracle pulled it off after being so woefully behind that American 'yachts people' were wringing their hands in despair. As for me, I have been depressed and in despair since I first glimpsed the trials on YouTube. The new racing devices bear little resemblance to contenders of yore, and I confess that I could get no emotional juices running this year.
Oracle was a technological miracle, fast as the wind (even faster, it's said), sported little hull in the water, and could accelerate like a Porsche. Cost of the hardware was well in excess of $10 million. Crew and sponsorship were hardly American.
Call me an old fogey, but I much preferred the line and grace of Lipton's J-boats and the design and refinements of the subsequent 12 meters that raced to keep the Cup in the NY Yacht Club. Those were beautiful yachts that relied more on design and sailing skill than on mechanics, carbon fibers, and technical sophistication to achieve maximum hull speed.
I celebrate America's victory, therefore, with a muted "hooray."
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