This vid gives you an appreciation of exactly how fast these bad boys move!!!
The perspective from the support boat allows you to make the connection between the size of the beasts, and the pace at which they move :)
Found this when I was looking for the footage of Martin Tasker saying he was "Going to do the Jewish woman later on" haha
I'm actually really getting into this. The organisers have learnt a lot from the last one which was a bit of a sad debacle. There has been some pretty good racing already.
Team New Zealand were foiling while heading upwind during the last race, number 6, against Sweden. I didn't see them muff a single gybe. Averaging high twenties in low teens of wind. It's surreal to watch a boat go that fast and there's not even a hint of a white cap.
Can't Luna Rosa afford an Aussie skipper? What's with Scot Draper parking it under the wing of the Kiwis at every start.
A BIG call I know, but I am going to say that the Louis Vuitton coverage has been the best television I've ever watched!
The package including the graphics showing the wind, tide and even the disturbed wind coming of the wings is wonderful. These boasts set against Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and even Alcatraz! Very entertaining. Can't wait for the 34th AC finals now. The Kiwis will be hard to beat.
OK... so I watched race 8. There was fog so obviously there wasn't much wind about. I missed the wind speed but there was not a hint of white caps, looked to me to be around 10 knots. Also there was a tug/fire boat at the end shooting up a huge stream of water, again looked like poor conditions.
edit: from the official blog "With the windspeed up to 12 to 13 knots,"
Team New Zealand hit 41 knots as they crossed the finish line.
Check out the last leg from 18:30 into the video...