Here is why I think 20 teams is the way to go...
There are a couple of areas that currently don't have the sailing talent to beat a couple of the other areas.... So, would it really be interesting to watch 10 teams w/2 fleets? The 3-4 teams at the front beating the guys in the back like a red headed step child. Or you could have 20 teams there with more top sailors and tigher racing. A lot of the top teams don't race the same boats. I for one think it's fun to watch them all be on the exact same boat at the same time.
I'll talk about area D, because that is what I know... ponder this... Randy Smyth, Bob Curry, Brian Lambert, Robbie Danniels, Kevin Smith, Nigel Pitt, Alex Schafer....Just the top of the pile in area D... how many people did I leave out of that list? How many more are in the next list, just nipping at these guys heels? If it is going to be a "true" championship, how can you call it that w/o really having the best there. CA and TX... also look at the quantity of quality sailors there. How much fun is it really to watch the guys from areas X, Y, and Z get beat while it's only a 3 boat race... if that even.
Yeah, fun is the name of the game at the end of the day, but at some point it does have to be about the racing. If the Alter Cup is going to be our CHAMPIONSHIP, then the competitors and competition should be #1. So, when someone says, who is the best, you can say...X won the alter cup and Y was second...etc.
Will R