Off course: History never repeats?

Of course, history never does repeat itself.

When Brad Butterworth and Russell Coutts were still the idols of New Zealand, challengers Prada got a little, well, huffy about a race that was called off in light winds.

Prada, 0-2 down back in 2000, were ready to go and paraded up and down in front of the race committee boat trying to prove there was enough breeze. The committee would have none of it.

Butterworth, now aboard Alinghi, then aboard Team New Zealand, was less than impressed with the Prada stunt.

"A light day is like watching the grass grow," he harrumphed three years ago. "Believe me, we [Team New Zealand] are not afraid to go racing in light air. But it's not good for anyone if it comes down to luck."

This year, he will best be remembered for his comment when Team New Zealand pulled the plug on a race Alinghi wanted to sail. "We are bitterly disappointed."

Back to watching the grass grow.

* * *

And from the overseas media comes these perspectives on the cup:

The Observer: "The home country has taken refuge in fervid nationalism, with passionate newspaper editorials decrying Coutts and Butterworth as traitors.

"Letters threatening attacks on the sailors' families have been treated as genuine by police, and there have even been, according to some police sources, attempts to influence a crime investigation.

"Since then, the former Team New Zealand sailors have allegedly taken to wearing bullet-proof vests in public, while accompanied by security guards at all times to protect themselves from the snipers said to have been spotted lurking by the harbour."

Britain's the Sunday Herald, was in no doubt how high passions are running in New Zealand after Russell Coutts' Alinghi jumped to a 3-0 lead. "Murder in mind on the high seas," shouted its headline, perhaps a little too loudly.

The Miami Herald just felt sorry for us after racing was called off this weekend: "Another reprieve for Kiwis" ran its headline.

* * *

Okay, so it was still over the weekend and due to blow up a gale today.

Here's 10 reasons to look on the bright side of this weather.

1. We still haven't lost.

2. When it's still you can have a great day on the water without getting seasick.

3. More to the point, you can have a great day on the water without it being spoiled by an Alinghi victory.

4. And if it's heavy going today, the surfers will be happy in the swells.

5. It's easier to get a lunch table at a Viaduct restaurant.

6. How much fun can one nation have watching TVNZ stretch out their coverage for another raceless day?

7. That weather, eh? It's a great conversation starter.

8. Dean Barker and Team New Zealand get a chance to regroup and regroup and regroup and regroup and ...

9. It's good weather for rugby.

10. With all these delays we get to keep Ernie and those fun Swiss chaps here a little longer.


Continuous coverage of today's America's Cup race will begin on nzherald.co.nz at 12.30pm.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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