If anyone needed to see a better display of what can happen when technology
starts taking over a sport, this is it - on steroids. The technology has
developed to the point where the reserve of manmade hydraulic energy is
becoming a limiting factor on the boat (the boats are trying to make
numerous movements a minute of foils and the wing sail under heavy tension
force requiring A LOT of hydraulic energy but with only manmade or wind
energy available). This has turned the race into 2 guys doing the sailing
and 4 guys making energy. Computer control with helmsman inputs doing the
rest.
The sailing crowd has been complaining for a decade now that its no longer
sailing. Oracles partnership with Airbus cementing that the race is more
about getting the boat to "fly" and keeping it there is how you win the
race. Is it sailing or flying now. Calls of - enough is enough - bring
back real sailboat racing are becoming louder and louder. Actual crowds
watching are diminishing and TV coverage is almost non-existent - we watched
the 2 hour segment only available live with no streaming or reruns
yesterday.
I was quickly reminded what radio contesting is starting to become. If you
want to look into the future of radio contesting, have a look at the AC. If
you don't like what you see, especially of you have every sailed or dreamed
about it, give it some thought before we become the next version of it.
Kudos to NASCAR as an example of drawing the line on it with a - it still
needs to be car racing attitude. No shortage of fans there.
73
Ed N1UR
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