Evolutionary

Excerpt from a letter in today's Scuttlebutt (North America):

And at the level of the A-Cup & VOR, it should be about getting the maximum exposure for the sport, through getting sponsors who are able and willing to put money into the sport, preferably over a longer term period.... I think the equation is obvious: Money = Exposure = Sport Expansion. The A-Cup is doing it well, with evolutionary changes, rather than trying to re-make the competition in one fell swoop.... --Ben Jarashow

Not had the pleasure of meeting the writer, but no doubt his sentiments are appreciated by most involved in the current AC. And if he only knew the soul searching the Defender and COR went through during 2003 to arrive, hopefully correctly, at that "evolutionary" conclusion....

At least the current teams believe it was correct. During a media conference of the syndicate design leaders between Acts 8 and 9 in Trapani, the support from the teams for that approach was gratifyingly unanimous and strong. Full marks to Grant Simmer (Alinghi) and Ian Burns (BMW Oracle) and their bosses, who, along with ACC Technical Director Ken McAlpine, fended off others' more revolutionary -- and expensive -- ideas. Instead, the evolutionary Version 5 ACC yachts are livelier yet robust and closely competitive, and we did not obsolete the V4 yachts in one fell swoop.

Question now confronting those involved in shaping, or hoping to shape, AC 33 -- revolution, or more evolution?