Episode Transcript
Amanda, it's happening. What's happening? The 37th America's Cup is about to start in none other than Barcelona Spain It's happening it's literally starting in like two weeks. I can't wait, but time out. What's the America's Cup? Oh, uh, how about the world's oldest international sailing comp where they race those massive yachts, like a hundred miles an hour and try not to tip over. Have you seen this? I think I've seen it. mostly I just think those people are crazy and I can't believe they do that. They're nuts. Do you actually really watch it? Okay. Like religiously, you know, I'm weird with the, with the sports that I watch. I love any racing. Horse racing, bike racing, tour de France, road racing. If there is a finish line. A bunch of competitors. I'm hooked. So that's what we're talking about today. The America's Cup. You betcha. Yeah. And it's gonna be awesome. Wait, wait, wait. But what does the America's Cup have to do with being cultured and curious? Uh, it is the pinnacle of human achievement. Is it though? Stop it. Think about it. The America's Cup is a good blend of history and innovation On a global scale or like in a global comp like think about it It brings together different cultures with different innovative technologies and then puts them in the water as they try not to drown It's glorious All right I think I got it and i'm kind of excited to get out of my comfort zone here and learn something new today So let's go Hey everyone, welcome to sort of sophisticated, a podcast rooted in becoming more cultured and curious where we endeavor to suspend judgment, expand our worldview, and learn to appreciate varying perspectives and values, but really it's a show where we hope to enlighten anyone who cares on topics that might make them more interesting and well versed humans and just dangerous enough to hold their own in this sophisticated world, sort of. And today people We're setting sail on the high seas in one of the most prestigious and historic sailing competitions in the world. The America's Cup, often referred to as the pinnacle of yacht racing. And Amanda, did you know it's the oldest trophy in all of international sports? No, Pete. I didn't even know what the America's Cup was, so why would I know that? Ah, good point. It's awesome, and you're going to learn all about it. It's a competition that has captivated sailors and spectators alike. Are you ready for this? A hundred and seventy years. That's a really long time. But also. Yes, very long. Sailing and a yacht. Does a yacht not mean a yacht yacht? A yacht. Like the luxury yachts? No, like a, no, no. We'll talk about all this stuff. No, these are like the racing yachts. These are like insane. Like a catamaran? They're sailing. These are not power boats Massive sales. I know nothing do me a favor and Google this right now So you have a picture of what it looks like because it's gonna help your brain during the whole episode deal okay, so let's set sail on this journey and explore the rich history the Technological marvels The thrilling races where billionaires battled out with boats that looked like they were designed by science fiction freaks on hallucinogens. Did you look these up? I did. Did you look it up yet? I did, I did. They're crazy. I don't understand, sir. Yeah, we're gonna get to it. Okay. And our word of the day today is E LaRoc. E LaRoc. And our challenge is to work this word in the podcast somewhere and, uh, make it seem like we meant to. What's a eula ROCs? A eula ROCs is like a really big, hairy animal with huge horn. No? Okay. Uh, a eulotrochus means having woolly or crisply curling hair. Like cavemen? I don't know. Yeah, I guess that works. I don't know. Yeah, maybe like cavemen I think it just could be like really crispy and like really curly. Like really windblown y crap. Like homeless hair. Yeah. Homeless hair. That's so horrible. Okay. But that's what we're going with. Okay. Fine. Okay. Got it. Alright, well, I don't think that's the best definition of eulotrochus. That's what we're going with. I know, I'm going to go ahead and I'm going to Google it to figure out how to properly use it. Probably a good idea. And, you know, not take your advice and look stupid while doing it. So, while I do that, why don't you give us some history of the America's Cup? And kind of go fast and keep it brief like you always do and don't. Do you know that since we started podcasting, you are getting more and more ADD and you want me to go faster and faster in every episode? I mean, sometimes you just drone on. Okay. That hurts. That hurts. Well, how about you Google Eulotrakis while I take the knife out of my back and start talking? Are we ready to go? Wow. Let's go. Okay. Okay. So it all starts in 1851 when a group of New York yachting buddies decide they need a little break from working so hard on Building America and adding states to the Union and stuff. So they hopped on their boat appropriately called the America Can you believe that Wow geniuses and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to England to basically? Challenge the English to a yacht race around the Isle of Wight You Like that little island in the south of England in the English Channel? Yeah, yeah, the Isle of Wight. Not to be confused with the Isle of Wong. Um, hilarious. Okay, the Isle of Wight, yes. So dumb. I know, I am so dumb. Alright, so the Brits immediately agree. And of course, who are we kidding? They have a chip on their shoulder to begin with because they're Brits. And they think it's a no brainer and that they're going to win. But we had other ideas and we totally kicked their ass and we left the royal yacht squadron sitting in our wake, Mandy. So they make some big trophy and we grab it and we take it back to New York and basically the America's Cup was born in 1851. So it's literally named after the boat, the America. The America. Oh, yeah. I mean, I guess that's awesome. Yeah, we're so narcissistic. It's super random. Yeah, that's how we roll Let's sail over there. Okay, so there were probably two boats in the water Like how are we gonna tell them apart? We'll call ours the America you call yours the British. I don't know. I don't know what they did No, but the boat was called the America. That's what they did. They called it. Okay, so bear with me You told me to go fast and you're slowing me down. Okay, so like the next 50 years or so, they keep racing And it sort of turns into this like glutton for punishment thing because the Brits kept coming back for more and we kept winning. Amanda. So this was an American and British thing. This was it. Around this isle of white. Right. Kind of embarrassing. It was like breaking up with your girlfriend that just wouldn't go away. Kind of like, Hey, it's not you. It's me. But, uh, really it was our faster boats that kept winning. Sorry. Yeah. So, the British tried everything. Like everything, new boat designs, different sails, new sailors. I think they even tied our boat to a dock one year just so we'd have a bad start. Nothing friggin worked. So they basically wrote us a strongly worded letter for us to slow down a bit and let them catch up. But we basically told them to go fuck themselves. You're making that up. I am. But I thought that made for good podcasting drama. it kind of does. It seems very soap opera ish. Right. Okay, so we get to about 1930. and innovation starts taking off. Mind you, we haven't lost yet. The yachts start looking like half plane, half boat, but our American engineering still prevailed and we kept winning because we were still probably pissed that they had a better Navy than us. Who knows? And it goes on this way for a while, like a long time, like 132 years long time. That's quite a long time. A very long time to be exact. We held this trophy from. 1851 to 1983, 1983, 1983, that's wild, never lost 132 years, but it didn't race every year or anything like that. Like we didn't win 132 races in a row. It was probably like 25 or 30 races in that time span. Okay. So every four or five years. Yeah, but not that little, not like the Olympics. It wasn't like super linear. Like at the beginning they raced once and then they skipped 15 or 20 years before the next race. And there were some weird big gaps in between and then some really small ones where they literally raced like five consecutive years in a row. Why all of a sudden five consecutive years? Yeah, I don't know. I looked all that up that they're dumb. I don't think there was a governing body or anything back then. So I think they just waited till they had like an awesome innovation or some new ego or some new sailor or something and then would sort of step up and challenge again and then the other would have to agree to defend. Sort of like, when you weigh in in boxing, like if you don't make the weight, then you don't fight, but in this case, if you don't think you're good enough to win, I guess you have an out. That's wild. I swear every episode I learned something new. The more you know. Seriously though, isn't that kind of the point we're supposed to learn? It absolutely is. I know. I'm just letting you know that I do learn something every episode. Wonderful. Thank you for listening. 'cause I thought I was just droning on over here and didn't have anybody who cared. I thought you were still Googling e LaRoc. Still not an appropriate place to throw that in. Okay, fine. Got it. Okay, so this goes on, like I said, all the way till 1983 and out of nowhere, the Australians decide enough of this shit. I mean, of course it's the Australians, so apparently. It's I guess it was always an open race for like any yacht club to try to join or defend, I guess, or challenge, but for like 100 years or so, it was just America and Britain. Cause I, I'm assuming they were like the two best. Nobody got in the way, but technically there were never any rules around who could contend because remember there was no governing body. So in 1983, this guy named Sir Frank Packer challenges the New York yacht club to a race to defend the America's Cup. And this is still going around and around. Uh, don't ask me. I do not know where this is going now. This, I can't answer that question. So it could be anywhere. Yes, we'll get to that. I don't know where it was in 1983. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But also, second question. What? What's the prefix, sir? Was he a knight or something? Uh, I don't know. Maybe he was a knight. Maybe he was just really rich. I think, don't they give rich people knights? Like, isn't Elton John Sir Elton John? I don't know, but we should definitely do a podcast on this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think he was probably rich, but he could have been a knight at some point. I don't even know if they had knights in the 1980s for crying out loud. Do they still have knights? I have no idea. Podcast. Okay. Alright, fine. Okay, so anyway, Sir Frank. And his boat, Australia 2, don't ask me what happened to Australia 1, I think it probably sunk or something. Or maybe they just didn't. It did not. I don't know, but they, why, okay, his boat was named Australia 2, so something happened to Australia 1. I'm on Google. Okay. So, he does the unthinkable, and totally snatched the America's Cup from the Americans, when they least expected it. 132 years, we never lose, Australia 2 comes in, snags the cup. It was like totally when Rocky beat Apollo, except with like way more sailing jargon thrown in that nobody really understands. Like hoist the mainsail or run the jib and shit like that. And probably no one screaming, Yo Adrian, we did it! Afterwards. Oh my god, let's go! So at least you watched that movie, right? No. I love it! No, I've just heard you quote it before. Oh, I thought, I thought we were onto something. Okay, so this was a big deal, Amanda. I don't think you, like, get how big of a deal. Like, shot, heard, around the world, big deal. Because this was the first time the Cup ever changed hands since, like, dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Or more like, before the Civil War. That's crazy. Seriously Americans in the sailing community were devastated. Thank God there weren't many. Or we'd be studying the riots of 83 in our history classes today, I guess. Instead, I think it was probably just a bunch of rich people who went home and overdosed on something. I don't know if that's true. Yeah, probably. I mean, how many people were watching that in 1983? Like a hundred? I don't know. Okay. Me neither. So then it goes back and forth for of Australians were watching it. Right. Of course they were. Well, yeah. Because that's all they, we had more going on in America. I mean, we had cricket. We had the Tour de France. We had baseball. We had football. You know, there was a lot happening. Everyone did too. TV was around in 1983. Was it? Let me move on. So then it goes back and forth for a while. Basically between now Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, right? So Britain they're still around, but they're not as good. Like Australia, New Zealand, United States are all doing good. Until 2003 when some Swiss guy, Named Ernesto Bertarelli. Rolls in with Team Alinghi. He wasn't even from a country with an ocean, Amanda. Nobody gave a crap. He beats the Kiwis, wins the cup, and takes it to Switzerland, where they know more about chocolate than sailing. Peter. What? For all of our listeners that maybe don't know, what's a Kiwi? A kiwi is a delicious fruit, Amanda. Oh, but so now we're talking about fruit. No, we're not. Also, it is a New Zealander. They are nicknamed the Kiwis. And why are they The Kiwis? Because it refers to a bird. That has always been native to New Zealand. I'm hoping it's a flightless bird, cause if it could fly, then it's native to other places maybe. Anyway, they're, nicknamed the Kiwis. So there you go. Alright, so fast forward to 2007, and Alinghi defends the cup again. Switzerland, somehow, is still involved in all this nonsense. Cause they were probably doping, I don't know. But in 2010 then, Larry Ellison, Do we know Larry Ellison? No. The American billionaire? No. He's got more yachts than make any sense in this world. And he decides, enough's enough, like, fuck the Swiss. So he wants the cup back in America. So he brings out Oracle Team USA, which is basically a giant floating tech startup company. They won the cup. I mean, he found, he co founded Oracle. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So that makes sense so then he ends up winning the cup, But there was this whole cheating scandal that ended up in the courtrooms about boat designs and materials used. I don't care because finally it was back in America after like being in Switzerland for way too freaking long. So Ellison wasn't done yet. So in 2013 So he cheated his way. I'm not saying he cheated. I'm saying he won it in the courtroom. So clearly he won. There's, there's a little smoke around it. Okay. Okay? Alright. So in 2013, he pulls off the greatest comeback since literally, I don't know, the invention of coffee or something. I don't even know when coffee was invented. And I don't even know if that's a comeback story, but that's what we're using. Get this. He's losing eight races to one against New Zealand. The Kiwis. Okay, That's like 03 percent chance of winning. That's like a very small amount of chance. He's basically got to win now the next eight races in a row to come back and like win the cup. And New Zealand only needed one more race. to like claim the cup and go home. So in a comeback story of the ages, I swear to God I'm getting chills when I just talk about this, the Americans somehow win the next eight races in a row and win the whole thing. Cup stays home in America. It was the most legendary comeback in all of sports history that absolutely no one knows about. Okay, wait, wait, just to make sure I got this correct. So it was Americans and the Brits. They competed for a really long time. Then they got overthrown. by Australia and New Zealand and it was just like the four of them. And then Switzerland came in and they won out of nowhere. And now it's basically the Larry Ellison show. Okay. Got it. Larry Ellison show comes in. Right. We're in 2010, 2013. Right. Then we pull off this massive upset. And that wasn't even that long ago, though. No, this is only like 10 years ago. Right. Right. Right. We're getting serious now. Right. Why isn't this a big thing in America then? This is why we have to keep doing the podcast. This is why we have to keep doing the podcast. We gotta get the info out, right? If we don't do it, who will? We literally found our calling. There's movies on this stuff. Have you seen Miracle on Ice? Why do I do this? Why do I do this? When the United States won the 1980s. You've already asked me this question too, and I asked you if it was Miracle on 34th Street. Okay, alright, sorry. Because I don't watch movies. Okay. So meanwhile, the Kiwis. Thank you. We all know what that means now. You're welcome. Anyway, they won't go away. They're relentless. So they win back the cup in 2017, bring the cup back to the Shire and shove it in a hobbit hole or something, I don't know. And basically, finally, that brings us up to today where billionaires from around the world with their big ass egos are diving headfirst into this race. And the races themselves are now finally becoming a spectacle. It only took like 175 years for people to care. The boats look ridiculous now. They don't even look like boats anymore. They just look like badass, futuristic machines. It's crazy to even watch. With all the new carbon fiber technology, these boats are literally flying above the water. Like flying, flying. Like Elon Musk should take some notes. That's true. Why doesn't he have a boat in the race yet? Uh, I say just wait. It's probably, it's, it's probably already happening. He's probably already funding something. We just don't know about it because he's taking over the world, I swear. It's coming. Well, on the note of Elon Musk then, why don't you give us a little bit of history on all of the technology how, and why they are just flying on water. Like do these advancements work or do they happen like little by little? Or in big chunks, like the Space Race. I don't know. Which may or may not be a conspiracy too, so. Huh. I never, I never thought about how they happened. I'd have to think about that. Let me, give me some time to think about that. Okay. Do do do do do do More in chunks, really. Like the Space Race. So it all started with the boat. You remember the America? Yes. The one that won the first cup. Uhhuh Which by the way, is now burned to a crisp. But, um, I'm gonna tell that story later. Wait, what? Do you have to maybe wait for that one? No, no, no. Yeah. Way too long of a story. Tell right here. I'll tell it at the end or something. Fine. But you always gotta leave me hanging. Why? It's a trademark of good storytelling. Amanda. I don't think it's, it is, uh, it's excellent. Yes. Is this cliffhanger? Not I'm leaving you. I'm leaving. You hanging. Okay. So. The America was made of wood like of course, duh. It was like kind of like a bathtub with sails really have you looked up any of these boats through the race and while we've been podcasting here? Go back up and go look up the Americas. All right. Anyway, it was like super sturdy But sailed about as fast as like, I don't know, molasses or something. So, probably could have survived a collision with a whale, seriously. Um, at this point you got to remember boats were powered by wind, like heavy lifting, like elbow grease, and maybe even like a nod to the gods. Cause they didn't even know what the hell they were doing. They were still using sextants and the stars to navigate like back in the day. I mean, it was real, real sailing and all this, believe it or not, worked like surprisingly well for a while until some engineers got the bright idea to start messing with physics. So into the 20th century we go and like technology starts evolving. Engineers start playing around with steel and aluminum and boats are starting to look like industrialization meets sci fi. They start making these things called J class yachts whose mass could reach like the stars, I swear to God, and hulls that could blind Stevie Wonder, like on a sunny day. They were expensive to race and they required a crew the size of the entire Los Angeles Rams football team to operate thanks to all the advanced rigging that was starting to become available. So we go to some world wars and we win stuff, thank God, otherwise we wouldn't be sitting here today, shout out to the Americans, and around like 1950 we start innovating again. And it was time for speed and the rise of the 12 meter class, which were basically aerodynamic machines. Engineers obsessed over like the whole shape, the material type, and we're pushing the limits of what a boat could do before it actually turned into a spaceship. These boats were light, fast, and more slippery than a pig. Then they started hiring a bunch of nerds who figured out brains could outsmart Braun and that math actually wins races. That took a long time for them to figure that one out. Why aren't you, and your little math major world, why aren't you working for one of these companies? You should be working for Larry Ellison. Why? You could be figuring all this stuff out! See, you have to have, like, Interest in sailing you have interest in math math wins races Okay, so then in 1983 like we were talking about earlier enter the Australia two and it's mysterious and controversial winged keel Dun dun dun the winged keel they hid this idea from the world and it paid off because it had an edge so sharp it could Cut through anything the New York Yacht Club threw at them including of course the The 132 year winning streak. Obviously. This alloy keel has become the stuff of legend. And it was then that engineers realized they could start pushing the envelope even further. Gotta be thinking outside that box. They gotta, that's how dude, they yanked it from under us. Sucked. All right. So then carbon fiber hits the scene in the 1990s making boats lighter faster and way more expensive than the space shuttle and The era of multi holes arrived on the scene with boats looking like giant spiders skimming across the water Races were now the billionaires Club for sure each one trying to build a yacht that was part sailboat part jet engine Technology turned the cup into an engineering marvel with boats that seemed capable of breaking the sound barrier If not the laws of physics themselves and today the America's Cup is less about sailing and more about controlled wizardry Really than anything else and the sailors Amanda who at one point were really like skilled Mariners are now like elite athlete who trained like run marathons But also have the brains to manage like Bluetooth computer technology and shit and like know how to do all the math Calculations and physics crap. These guys are amazing. That's a ton of innovation in just a hundred years. Yeah. Yeah super crazy Chunky and clunky Like I said, like it does they sort of Each one sort of waits to watch what the next people are doing space racy for sure I guess if there's a will and lots and lots of money and there must be a way Oh lots of money But really who has the most money? I mean, I guess Maybe said differently. Which countries or which yacht clubs are the best at this stuff? Oh, yeah, totally, right? Okay. Um, well currently the best obviously is the defending champ, New Zealand the Kiwis, and they won the cup four times and have more recently become like a major Powerhouse now in the sailing world. Then you got Italy Represented by a Luna Rosa Prada Pirelli team who raced awesome in the last America's Cup, but came up short total fierce competitor Then the United States represented by American magic the OG's and the best of the best in my opinion, of course Shout out to America then Britain or the United Kingdom represented by Enios Britannia Looking to win the cup for the first time Ever since they raced against America all the way back in 1851, they still haven't won. Wow. Not like one time. Really? Not one time yet. Wow. No. Right. Exactly. Uh, then Switzerland represented by Aligny Red Bull Racing and France's Orient Express Racing Team rounding out the six competitors this year. Uh, and really all of them have a shot at pulling it off. They are all excellent and they all have a shit ton of money. Wait, what? They all race. Cup was only two teams. Okay, well, back in the day, you just needed a challenger who wanted to challenge, and a defender who wanted to defend. It was that simple. But nowadays, it's, uh, Tad more complex. So the challenging team or teams in this case have to meet like all these technological and financial requirements first Which basically involve designing and building a yacht that complies with the specific class rules established for the competition And yes, it changes all the time to keep up with technology. It's not all the same So all six teams are gonna race this year precisely. Yes, but the official challenger of record this year is Britain The challenger of record. Now you're going way too fast. What is a challenger of record? They haven't won yet. Well, I don't know how this works exactly, but I'm pretty sure the challenger of record is the team that feels like the most prepared and ready to contend or sort of. Ranked like the next best by all the yacht clubs since I mean they all know like what's going on in Each other's backyard anyway, so they all know like who's the best who's second best so once that's decided they file for a challenge and the defending champ in this case, New Zealand accepts the challenge And then it's game on there's some advantage to being the challenger of record So basically if you're the challenger record, it means like two things One you're probably the most prepared at that exact moment to race and win and two You get say so in like the location of where they're gonna race Remember you were asking me before the race moves around and like all the rules and stuff So I'd say there is like an advantage to being the challenger of record. But everybody gets to race right? Yes. Yeah. Yeah, but remember New Zealand gets to pick the time and place You And the challenger of record is basically ready to go. So if all the other teams ain't ready, they ain't ready. I guess that kind of makes sense. And I may be starting to get it. So then are all the other teams ready for this year? I would hope so. I assume that they're always in some sort of state of ready, air quotes, like, all the time. I mean, they're yacht clubs. They do this shit for a living. So, if I understand this right, they do this little thing with a challenger of record which may or may not have its advantages. The jury is still out. But really there are qualification standards that go with everything so you have to be in a constant state of readiness because you never know when someone is going to start the clock and challenge. Um, you said that so much better than me. Well, you're welcome. But that just seems so random. It is because yeah, So wait if there's six teams racing How does it all work? I mean originally wasn't it only the two teams? Yeah. Okay. So technically you're correct The America's Cup is actually still only two teams So once the field is set, they enter what's known as the America's Cup World Series, which is sort of like a giant series of practice races. The main goal here is to pretty much let all the competing teams test their boats and get some experience, like their sea legs, so to speak, ahead of like the next group of races. Not gonna lie, it also helps build fan interest, because it's the build up to like the actual America's Cup. Because the longer they draw things out, the more money they can make. Kind of like how the World Cup just expanded to 48 teams, And more games for more revenue, right? So it kind of like water shit down in my opinion, but Oh, well, these races take place over several months and teams accumulate points across different events. And the points can sometimes influence the seating or standings going into the next round of races, depending on the specific rules for that America's cup cycle only, I know. That's like way too sophisticated for this episode. It totally is, but if I'm following correctly, the main purpose is for teams to work out the Kingston strategy and new technologies, et cetera, et cetera. And nobody loses in this series. Yes, you're correct. It's pretty much like a really intense warm up round, but like, that's it. Okay, so then what? Okay, then shit starts to get serious. So then the next set of races are known as the Challenger Selection Series. Or you might have heard of it called like the Prada Cup. Okay, I think it's actually not the Prada cup anymore. I think it's actually Louis Vuitton. I think they bought the rights to it. So in years past, I think it was Prada forever. I think now it's Louis Vuitton cup. Okay. That's what, if you Google it, that's what it'll be called. And this is the knockout stage. These races determine which challenger will actually earn the right to face the defending champ in the final America's Cup match. And it doesn't have to be the challenger of record, correct? Correct. It can be any one of the five challengers. But remember, that idea is that the challenger of record has the best chance. Chance because they were probably the most prepared to begin with I think I got it Yeah, so like think of the challenge of record like Britain has decided their boat is ready. It's technology is super innovative They're ready to go and they've been racing really well with the right team right now. So they go say New Zealand We're ready to go maybe America's best Boat is like 94 percent ready and maybe they're missing two crewmen that they're saying they always it's they always have to be in this state of readiness because like if you don't have if you're missing one person or missing some technology or something's not totally upgraded you got to race whenever they decide but they know that it's going to happen on August 22nd but the challenger of record like they could go for three or four years with no challenger record. And they could just be innovating. So how did this one come around? Britain was ready. So we have August 22nd because Britain challenged New Zealand. Imagine like horse racing. If your horse is like two years old and you're getting ready for the Kentucky Dream. You're like, Oh my God, like I think my horse is ready. I'm going now. Like some of the other horses aren't ready to go in. They have to decide, do we put them in this year? Do we put them in next year? It's the same thing with boat racing. They don't race it every year. So you wait until you've hit sort of your prime and your prime comes together with either your boat technology. And the right crew that can, sail it at the right time. Then you're the challenger of record. Everybody else has to be ready and they're not always that ready. They're always close. Does that make sense? I guess. Okay. Well, that's good enough because that's our podcast. I may just have to watch it. You're going to have to watch it. Okay. So then basically whoever wins the challenger series is the challenger who's going to then race against New Zealand. So, then you finally have the America's Cup itself. What? In all of these challenger races, does New Zealand also participate? New Zealand, I believe, participates in the World Series, the warm ups, but they're not part of Challenger Series, no. Make sense? Okay. Okay, so, then finally you have the America's Cup matches itself like the head to head races We've been talking about right New Zealand's going to take on the winner of the challenger selection series. That's it It's a best of format over a week or so and the first team to win the predetermined best of number of races wins The America's Cup and how many races is it this year? I think this year. It's the best of 13 So then the winner would need to win seven to win the cup. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. You got it Well, do you want to make it a little bet? What? Who's going to win this year? Ooh. Oh, so we're betting. Uh, how much are we betting? Like a hundred bucks? Sure. Let's go. Really? All right. All right. So who are you taking? Uh, Italy for sure. Wait, wait, why? Why? That was so fast. Cause it's like. The one country I visited overseas. Oh my god. Okay. Who are you picking? Um, okay, I don't know. You're putting me on the spot. Britain is the official challenger of record, so I think they have a good shot. Uh, even though they've never won. Maybe this is their year, because I'm always an underdog guy. Um, the U. S. has a good chance. They'd have to figure themselves out a little bit though, because I think their team's not like super ready yet. And then of course New Zealand, who could easily defend the trophy, so I'm going with New Zealand. I'm just going with the defending champ. I think Evan would be so disappointed in you. That's the, I know, but that's the easiest answer right now, because they're so good. I don't think I'll ever survive this whole long, how long is it, like a month and a half? Well, if you watch everything, the actual America's Cup itself, 13 days, 14 days, it's two weeks. So like, there's 13 days of the actual cup. But before that, there is the preliminary stage, right? The Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta stage. Yeah. And that goes like to the end of August. And then there's the Louis Vuitton Cup. Yeah. Which is Right, I think that runs through most of September. Yeah, and like really early October. Yep. Okay, and then after that America's Cup. starts the actual America's Cup? Yep. I think October 12th through like 27th or somewhere. Okay, so the most important days are going to be the 12th through the 27th of October. Yes, and I mean obviously the earlier the better because it's the best of 13. So if somebody wins seven in a row, it's over. Okay. Right, it'll end on October 14th. Right, so watch early. Yeah, start watching on October 12th. I am watching. Do I need to know any definitions? Uh, you'll get the idea. It's a, it's a boat race, right? It's a yacht race. They go really fast side to side and try to outrace each other, right? But here's a, like, you want a few definitions or? Sure. All right. You'll hear the announcers. Foiling, right? Like, like math foiling first out. No, not at all. Like foiling the whole boat is out of the water. Can you look this up real quick? Like on hydrofoils, you got to look this up. It looks like they're flying. See what I mean? It's amazing. Okay, fine. All right. Then you got tack and jibe. Attack is when the boat moves its front or bow through the wind, changing the direction that the wind hits the sail. And a jibe is when the boat turns its back or butt, we call it a stern, through the wind doing the same thing. Tacks are usually upwind, jibes are downwind. So it's that ziggy zaggy thing that they do? Uh, perfect. You're a sailor already, that's it. Okay, then you have port and starboard, different sides of the boat. Port is left and starboard is right, always facing forward. And starboard is, always has a right of way, all the time. Racing rules, that's how it works. The reason they don't say right or left is because, Right and left are like directions where they're always right and left. They're like static You could always point to the right or the left based on like the cardinal directions, but starboard and port You're just always looking to the front of the boat, so you don't wanna say right or left because Right. Could be left and left could be right. It's very complicated. You made that way more confusing than I feel like it is. Okay, we'll just go with, uh, port is left and starboard is right. Great. Perfect. Okay. Then to route out the pairs, you have windward and leeward, kind of self-explanatory, but windward is the direction where the wind is coming from and leeward is the direction away from the wind A windward boat would be closer to the wind. A leeward boat would be further away. Um, Halman. The dude steering the boat, uh, Grinder, the guy managing all the winches that control all the sails, and then a bunch of other crewmen that have a bunch of different names that are way too sophisticated for this episode. Uh, you'll also hear terms like boundary. Like out of bounds? Yes, there is an out of bounds, and they'll mark it on TV with an imaginary line for everyone to see. How do you know where that line is when you're sailing? That's a good question. They just know. Yeah, there's like markers and buoys and things. Oh. And then you'll have something called a pre start, which is the time before like the race actually starts where it looks like the boats are being chaotic. They're like going side to side really fast. You don't know what's going on. They're basically trying to get in the best position because the water is always moving underneath them. So they want to be in the best position to start the race like right at the starting line. And in order to do that they have to be moving around a lot. They can't be static in the water. It doesn't work that way. Oh, then you'll hear words like mark, like that's the buoy on the course that the boats have to sail around. And then lay line, that's like the best line to sail in to reach the mark or a turning point. Uh, and finally you'll hear the word trim the sails, which is just a rich person's way of saying like adjust them so they can go faster people. And then my favorite, VMG, what VMG, velocity made good. What are you talking about? Velocity made good VMG. Okay, going fast? Yeah, VMG is like velocity, but it like adds other stuff. It's actually the measurement of how fast the boat is going directly towards the finish line that combines speed and direction. Got it, so it's more like an equation. So, imagine you want to sail directly north, but the wind is coming from the north. So you can't go like straight into it. You won't sail. You have to sail a little bit on an angle. So you sail northeast, let's say six knots, whatever, it doesn't matter. Now you're not going directly towards your goal anymore, right? But you're still getting closer. So they measure it with some insane math that basically says your VMG, right? Or your velocity made good, like your effective progress north is four knots, not six knots. And then they monitor that number constantly to optimize how fast they're heading towards the mark. Get it? Sorta? Okay, but then I did my job. Okay, fine. Perfect, because this is sort of sophisticated. Nailed it. I just need a little bit. Right. That's Basically, it's a really sophisticated way to say you're going sort of fast. It's not just velocity. It's velocity without a shit involved. Okay, so I guess I'm going to tack for a second. You're going to tack? You just did that? Yeah. Now you're, now you're like a sailing extraordinaire. Evidently. What are you tacking from? From some of the history of the America's Cup to some fun facts of the America's Cup. Oh shit, I just see what you did there. You're hilarious. I know, I'm just so funny. Yeah. But, if I'm gonna watch, I guess I gotta use the terms, right? You just did. Yeah. Ta da! Okay. Well, good for you. Alright. Well, why don't you give me that extra layer of charm that you always lay on us and, uh, give us some fun facts. Fun facts. Here we go. Alright, first of all, let's start with the fact that the America's Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy in the known universe. It started in 1851. Before the Civil War people and it predates the modern Olympics Making it an incredibly unique piece of sports history I know we already said this one But I thought it was so freaking important that like we have to understand like the legacy here so worth noting All right. It's a big deal. It's a big deal. Alright, number two, we already know the cup is named after the boat The America, which won the first race in 1851 around the Isle of Wight. But what you didn't know was that the trophy was originally called the Hundred Guinea Cups. But was only renamed the America's Cup after the American's victory. Okay, wait, but what was a guinea? A guinea was an old monetary unit worth one pound. And the cup, when it was made, was worth a hundred pounds or a hundred guineas. Huh, the more you know. I know, super cool. Okay, number three. The competition is governed by something called the deed of gift. Do they deed each other, their yachts? No, no, no, no, no, they don't. The Deed of Gift. It is a legal document lays out the rules and conditions of the race and allows the defender of the cup to set the terms for the next challenge, like I was saying before. So this includes, like, the type of boats that will be used, the location of the race, and when the race will take place. Which I would argue is unfair, but these are the rules. This seems really arbitrary to me. Kind of some shady business. I know, but the winners get to write history. So this is how this works. I mean, is this also why the Americans then won for like right, 132 years? I'm starting to think so. Because it was like, no, we have to race tomorrow morning and it needs to be here. Right, that would be hysterical. Okay, I have no idea. All right, number four. The America's Cup boasts the longest winning streak in sports history. The New York Yacht Club held the America's Cup for 132 years, like we said earlier, from 1851 And this still remains the longest streak to this day. How can that ever be broken? Oh, there's no way. There's no way it's ever going to be broken. There's there's what's going to last 132 years. Nothing. No way. Okay. Number five, the cup, the trophy itself actually is made of top quality sterling silver and is never touched by bare human hands. Only agents wearing museum quality white cotton gloves, the famous silver trophy was made by Garrard and Company, the Royal Jeweler of London in 1848, three years before the first challenge. So it's the same cup, they just pass it down. Yeah, yeah. Number six, did you know the cup has its own travel box and its own seat? On the plane in which it's flown first class totally probably more like private jet, dude. Yeah, I guess so. I didn't think of that Okay, so private jet whatever and it's accompanied by what is called a cup minder to ensure it remains safe I wonder if he handcuffs himself to it. Anyway, I want to be a cup minder. Wonder what you get paid to be a cup minder. You should look into that. Is that a full time job? That could be your retirement gig. Yeah, I think once every four years Podcaster and a cup minder. Okay, that's cool All right. Number seven. Britain has never won the America's Cup despite The inaugural America's Cup race taking place in 1851. They never won the old mug. That's what they call it. The USA has won it 28 times, New Zealand, three times, Switzerland, twice, and Australia that one time in 1983, maybe now it'll be Italy once, maybe Italy once. Maybe it'll be Britain once. Come on, let's go for Britain. All right. Anyway. And finally, all the way back to the beginning. Remember when I said the America was burned to a crisp. Yes, I was wondering when you were going to get back to that. I was totally going to do that for you, because I didn't want to leave you hanging. So a little history on this guy. Alright, after winning the inaugural race, it was sold to the Confederate States of America to be used as a blockade during the American Civil War. She was sunk by the Union, and then subsequently raised, repaired, and repurposed, and then served on the Union side of the war for the remainder of the war. After the war, she was sold back into competitive racing. And then when her racing days were over, she fell into disrepair and was donated to the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. But sometime in the 1940s, the shed where America was stored collapsed during a heavy snowstorm, completely demolishing and ruining the ship. And she was finally scrapped and burnt to a crisp in 1945. That's a very sad ending. Everything dies, Amanda. She was a beauty. Let's say a prayer. Let's say a prayer for America. Well, on that sour note, got anything else that's a little more uplifting? Um, I will say, looking ahead, the future of the America's Cup is bright, people. Like bright, bright. If you think about the advancements in technology alone, we're going to be in for some fun stuff. I mean, hydrofoiling alone is advancing at warp speed. Sustainable practices are sure to play a part in future races, and not to mention how in the heck are they going to incorporate robotics and AI technology in all this shit. I'm like getting excited. We are in for a treat for sure. Listen, I guess if we haven't figured it out by now, it's clear that the America's cup is much more than just a sailing competition is it's a showcase of cutting edge technology, human ingenuity, and unmatched sailing skills. Unless you're from Britain, in which case, then they're easily matched. Evidently, for 132 years. Though I guess from the roots in mid 19th century to its modern day battles on the water, the cup remains a symbol of innovation and perseverance to this day. And after listening, it is our hope that you gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for this legendary event. But if you didn't, don't worry, cause Pete's going to tell us what we got to put in our brains and not let it fall out. All right. Well, if you don't remember anything, first, I would suggest you just go watch a sailing competition up close. It will give you a way better sense of scale and excitement for the sport. Super local to us is the California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey. They host a series of races from April to September each year. Go. They are awesome. I love it. If you're feeling even a little more ambitious, Amanda, why don't we join a local sailing club? No. Wow. Okay. I'll go watch. But we could like start learning stuff. I don't want to be on a boat. Okay, fine. So you could join a sailing club if you want to and get free booze. I don't know. Is that free? Probably not free. No, you gotta pay for it. Alright, anyway. Okay. And if you're feeling way less ambitious, don't join a sailing club. Just sit on your couch and watch Untold, the race of the century on Netflix. It came out in 2022 and it's about the massive upset where Australia kicks our ass in 1983. It's amazing. And it's only like an hour and 20 minutes long, so no excuses. You can also visit museums, listen to podcasts and follow your favorite country's team to stay in the know about upcoming events and stuff. Then after you armed yourself with some info. When you're at your next get together, ask folks if they've been following the America's Cup this year. Really only do that between, I guess, August and October. Then share these interesting and relevant details to seem sort of sophisticated. The America's Cup started in 1851, making it the oldest active trophy in international sports, and raced around the Isle of Wight and America 1, Kind of for the next 132 years in a row, it raced in a challenger defender format, meaning the cup is contested when a yacht club formally challenges the defending champion to a race with knockout races held leading up to a final match. There is, and always will be an intense rivalry between us and New Zealand, which who we kidding has defined much of the history of the America's cup, like for the last. 70 years. Winning the America's Cup is considered the ultimate success in competitive sailing. It's equivalent to winning the World Cup of Soccer. And finally, when your friends say they're not impressed because it looks boring, remind them that the average sailing speed in an America's Cup race is 40 miles an hour and speeds top out around 65. No engines, people. Just wind. All the while tacking and jibing like a banshee on steroids. It's insane. Split second decisions and perfect execution is the difference between winning and literally sinking. I can't imagine what this does to their hair, right? The fuck are you talking about? It's probably all you Latrakas when this race is finished, right? I mean, I'm just saying. Oh my God. I hate you and love you. Wait, why? Well, I love you for remembering that right at the end because I totally forgot about Eulotrachis, but I hate you because you get to sit over there and spend the whole episode trying to figure out how to work in the word of the day. That's the whole point, isn't it? No, but it's totally unfair. Like, I don't get to like participate. You did last episode. You just threw it in there nonchalantly. Well, then I got lucky. Like, this is, that sucked. Fine. All right. You know what? I think your hair looks Eulotrachis right now. It's actually, it's very straight today. When was the last time you showered? It's very straight today. I went to a hair spa yesterday. Wow. Yeah. Good for you. And there you have it, folks. That's a wrap on this high speed, wind whipped episode recapping the America's Cup. Whether you're now dreaming of foiling at 50 knots or just wondering how to get a port and starboard tattoo without confusing anyone, we hope you've sailed away with a bit more knowledge and maybe a newfound love for nautical nonsense. We'd like to think we shared just enough information to make you either a flaming nuisance or a little more sophisticated to your fellow humans, sort of. And remember, if life's got you tacking too much, sometimes you just need to jibe with it and go with the flow. Good! Good! You got the tack and the jive in there. The only thing I got this whole episode Let's tack and jive! So if you enjoyed this episode and found it particularly I don't think anybody enjoyed the episode. Well, maybe someone did and they found it particularly interesting. I hope they subscribe. They should subscribe. Leave a review and share with their peeps. Until next time though, keep your VMGs high and your holes dry. Happy sailing.
