What’s a Few Seconds Among Friends? A Lot!

Interestingly, when all was said and done - - the sails were perfected and tweaked, the hulls were laid up, the rigging was customized, the crews were trained - - America’s Cup 32 this year was won by an average of just 24 seconds.

Here’s how the seconds played out each race:

• Race One: Won by Alinghi by 35 seconds
• Race Two: Won by Emerates Team New Zealand by 28 seconds
• Race Three: Won by Emerates Team New Zealand by 25 seconds
• Race Four: Won by Alinghi by 30 seconds
• Race Five: Won by Alinghi by 19 seconds
• Race Six: Won by Alinghi by 30 seconds
• Race Seven: Won by Alinghi by 1 second

Imagine if Emerates Team New Zealand had just changed the settings on its vang, outhaul, Cunningham, halyards and such to drive their boat ONE SECOND per mile FASTER - - They’ve have won it all!!!!!!

In race Seven, of course, if one crewmember just hadn’t sneezed, or coughed, or moved from one side to another, or not missed that jib set, or had just pulled in the main or genoa a little slower or faster, or the skpper glanced at a competitor a few seconds - - they’re team would have won it all!!!!!

All them all up, you have wins by a total of only 168 seconds! And they say one team or another is "in the bag" before the races begin because they spent X millions or hired this or that crewmembers. As they say in Brooklyn: Forgetaboutit! This was racing at its very best.