Big spend on flash boat race isn't right

New Zealand has endured the exhausting and frustrating - albeit exhilarating - freak show that was the America's Cup in San Francisco last year.

THERE'S an interesting line between what is a feel-good, grass-root sport, for everyday people who want to excel - and what is a sport for freaks.

I am talking about the America's Cup.

At first glance, what could be more Kiwi than sailing? Without being too fussy about specifics, we can generally claim it's in our blood to get out on the water.

I would bet a lot of us have handled a boat under sail at some point in our lives, even it's just an Optimist dinghy.

When we started getting involved in the America's Cup, it was expensive, but it was still traditional.

They were on boats we could recognise as boats - safe, single-hulled sloops. When I was younger, catamarans and trimarans were viewed as unsafe novelties, that wouldn't right themselves if the wind got under them and flipped them over.

New Zealand has endured the exhausting and frustrating - albeit exhilarating - freakshow that was the America's Cup in San Francisco last year, using boats with sails bigger than domestic aircraft and financed by people with more money than God.

Things were happening so fast, and there was so much excitement, that we barely had time to ask: sorry, this costs how much?

I get the sense the competition has toned a bit in a technical sense, and while I don't understand the race protocols just announced, it is encouraging to see more challengers lining up. It doesn't seem to be quite so out of reach.

But is it any wonder the public are reluctant to cheer for another bid at the Cup?

It's not just the money; the concept of losing eight races in a row absolutely, completely sucked. You don't get to do that and stay on the public's good side.

But for me, the America's Cup is barely a boat race any more. It's like two gigantic, futuristic, insects racing each other.

People often cry out about the social ills that money could solve. For me, futuristic technological advances are a great thing to spend money on. It just doesn't have to be on bloody boats.