Has the America’s Cup outgrown the Deed of Gift?

As badly as the 34th America’s Cup seeks to attract the “Facebook Generation”, it can’t escape its deeply rooted history of elegance. The New Zealand Herald provides this report by lifestyle editor Ginny Fisher, who got a taste of the glamorous side of sailing onboard Larry Ellison’s gleaming 184-ft Asahi and the glittering Louis Vuitton gala.

Ginny also had the chance to chat with Bruno Trouble, who she describes as “the lovable French sailor who has masterminded the Louis Vuitton Cup for the past 30 years”. Here are his comments…

“I feel bad today because of the (one-boat) race, it’s terrible. It’s embarrassing. These boats are too extreme, too expensive. In the previous Louis Vuitton Cup, you could sail for $10 million; this year you need $70 million. Maybe we should have smaller catamarans, and one design. If we don’t fix it, it’s the end of the America’s Cup. The organisers here are indirectly paid by Larry Ellison; it smells a bit off, don’t you think? If you sail today, you would win. But I’m afraid after two months it might be different. The Americans have time to change their boat and have more than double the budget. Zee best thing in life would be for the Kiwis to take the Cup out of here.”

Trouble believes the problems could be fixed with an independent sailing federation, rather than the America’s Cup holder, making the rules and controlling the competition. Click here for full story.