That would be cool, but I think they may have some issues with "skinny water". I wouldn't want to run aground on one of those monsters!

There you go! Hey, would their masts fit under the Skyway Bridge?? We could have Gulfport as the host club!

how deep is Tampa bay? 12?

Isn't the Azores pretty calm during certain seasons?

I'd pick Venice as well.
Besides matching the "technical" criteria, the advertising and touristic potential of the competition would be maximized, while the contrast between new and old would provide the opportunity for unique photos.

A famous light wind venue in the other hemisphere would be Rio... Just daylight dreaming.

It will also be grossly unfair. Afterall there is some federation of 50 states with the same number of inhabitants and marine resources like yards as the whole of Europe combined.

I would probably support such a nationality rule if each US state would be identified as a seperate entity.

Wouter

Aren't they already? You obviously don't live here.

Wouter, "Grossly Unfair"? How so? Most of our States could care less about America's Cup racing, they are much more into NASCAR. Only a couple places in our country, like San Francisco, San Diego, and of course the location where it was held for many years, Newport, RI would care to sponsor such an event.

I thought the Cup match itself, going back to the original, first race, was intended to put one country's Best ship and crew up against another country's Best ship and crew, see who wins. It's not a Handicap event. You don't get extra points for being a small country.

Still, the Aussies took the Cup from Dennis, and their country is what, 10% the population of the USA? Good on them! I was proud of them, they did it fair and square, using their own blood, and did a great job of it, they deserved the win. And then the Kiwi's, all great for the sport.

But then the checkbooks came out and it became just another big boat regatta as far as I'm concerned, with no national pride in the outcome.

I'll watch the big multi's this time, because I'm a multi fanatic like everyone here, but as far as who do I want to win?

I couldn't care less. I don't even know who is on what team, nor do I care. Bring back the Nationality rules and I will pay more attention. Until then, it's just a big, expensive, Multihull race and other than the two owners, who cares who wins?

The Swiss bought the Kiwi's, outspent on the program and then won.

Well, there you go. Thanks, I forgot about that already, which just proves my point.

More globalization?

Is Somalia going to put up a AC challenger?

You know they will be...wait for it...light!

;^)

The EU nationality arguably already exists, so a EU challenge is possible.

But that still wouldn't be fair to a nation like New Zealand or Brazil that are alot smaller then 300 to 350 million inhabitants.

Wouter

Since when was the americas cup about "fair play"?

Ok then the scene is Somalia, pirates board one Multi and take its captain hostage, the crew are made to support and race the next round of races winning out right with the Somalian flag flying, now we can say the America's Cup was "fair play" to them .

Hu. No. Sorry. The EU is not a nation. It's a comglomerate of nations with different views of what Europe is. Some use their own currency, some use the Euro, some have border control with other EU nations, some don't. The only thing we have in common is an open and free circulation of goods.

do they actually have a flag?

Wouter

Just a small remark:
Brazil has 200Million , some of the best sailors in the Worlds too: Torben Grael and Robert Scheidt for ie.

Note I´m Argentine (strong football rivalry against BR), here we have only 40 millions, but we could participate in next AC cup with the Matador crew + Lange + Juan K (Volvo 70) as designer.

But no better example than "little" New Zealand with world best sailor and rugbiers to realize that quantity and huge resources are not always the key.

I guess Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia could (finally) put the Mercosur nationality to some use in order to reduce the disadvantage.