Marine Inspirations - America's Cup debate

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 Our last Webinar about the Vendee Globe was a big success (despite a few technical issues) so are now running another one, this time it will be about the America's Cup which starts just 2 days after our Webinar. The AC is being held in New Zealand (current Cup holders) and the Italian team who won the right to challenge by beating out the British Team Ineos UK earlier this month.

We have pre-recorded a debate with much better sound and video quality and we have a professional Zoom expert (Terry Winship) who will run the whole show.

The plan is to break up the video debate into 4 or 5 sections and after each section the panel will have a quick input as well. At the end there will be a Q&A time.

The big news is that we have confirmed a group of International Americas Cup experts joining the original debate group on our panel, they are as follows:

Harold Cudmore - Skipper UK AC Team ’Crusader’ 1987, Head Coach (winning) ‘America3’ 92, Adviser to French AC ‘France’ 95.

Chris Mason - Very experienced main sheet trimmer for 4 Americas Cup campaigns in 1981, '87. '95 and 2002. His son currently on "Ineos"

Richard Mason - Currently with the "Ineos" Team UK in Auckland so some very current news and opinions

Bill Edgerton - AC sailor (’87), AC coach (’03), Americas Cup Umpire ('00, '07, 2010). Previously RYA Olympic Coach in UK working with Sir Ben Ainslee and others. Currently rules advisor to GBR Team for Giles Scott (Ineos) et al for Tokyo Olympics later this year.

Participating guests at the debate (all America's Cup Veterans) are as follows:

Geoff Meek - Well-known international yacht racer and the initial skipper of "Shosoloza", the first and only South African entry into the America's cup (2007 in Valencia). Geoff was also reserve tactician to Harold Cudmore (who we hope will join the Webinar and answer questions) for the British AC Team in Perth 1987.

Jan Dekker - Jan has been involved with three America's Cup campaigns. He was with the French Team in 1995, the Alinghi Team right through from 2006 until 2010 then in 2013 he was with the Oracle Team when they won. He is a professional racing sailor currently actively involved with various yachts including the successful "Rambler".

Mike Giles - Pro sailor who was a crew member aboard "Shosholoza" and has done a lot of international sailing projects. Sailed against Ben Ainslie among others in the Laser Class in the late nineties.

David Abromowitz, the Marine Inspirations man in SA joined the debate. As Commodore of the Royal Cape Yacht Club in 1992 he negotiated on behalf of the YC and the country with Thabo Mbeki (who later became President) with the aim of having a South African challenge. He travelled to New Zealand together with Geoff Meek at that time with the view of buying one of their AC 12 meters for the 1995 America’s Cup.

Rob Sharp is the Master of Ceremonies and tried to keep the boys in line. Rob, himself is a long time off shore yachtsman, and among other things won,along with John Martin, the 1986 Carlsberg Double Handed Race from Plymouth UK to Newport, Rhode Island.

The Funds raised will be used to pay for swimming lessons at Lawhill Maritime Centre. It is crazy to teach these under privileged kids maritime subjects in preparation for going to sea and then find out they cannot swim! All too frequently this is the case of youngsters in the townships and we feel it is really crucial that they overcome their fear of the water and are taught to swim. One of our students recently confessed that her twin sister drowned when she was just 5 years old.

On a lighter side a yacht captain friend who cannot swim was asked what he would do if the boat sank. His reply was that he would just drop to the bottom and run like hell towards the shore! Mind you he is Australian so what can you expect! 

Our last Webinar about the Vendee Globe was a big success (despite a few technical issues) so are now running another one, this time it will be about the America's Cup which starts just 2 days after our Webinar. The AC is being held in New Zealand (current Cup holders) and the Italian team who won the right to challenge by beating out the British Team Ineos UK earlier this month.

We have pre-recorded a debate with much better sound and video quality and we have a professional Zoom expert (Terry Winship) who will run the whole show.

The plan is to break up the video debate into 4 or 5 sections and after each section the panel will have a quick input as well. At the end there will be a Q&A time.

The big news is that we have confirmed a group of International Americas Cup experts joining the original debate group on our panel, they are as follows:

Harold Cudmore - Skipper UK AC Team ’Crusader’ 1987, Head Coach (winning) ‘America3’ 92, Adviser to French AC ‘France’ 95.

Chris Mason - Very experienced main sheet trimmer for 4 Americas Cup campaigns in 1981, '87. '95 and 2002. His son currently on "Ineos"

Richard Mason - Currently with the "Ineos" Team UK in Auckland so some very current news and opinions

Bill Edgerton - AC sailor (’87), AC coach (’03), Americas Cup Umpire ('00, '07, 2010). Previously RYA Olympic Coach in UK working with Sir Ben Ainslee and others. Currently rules advisor to GBR Team for Giles Scott (Ineos) et al for Tokyo Olympics later this year.

Participating guests at the debate (all America's Cup Veterans) are as follows:

Geoff Meek - Well known international yacht racer and the initial skipper of "Shosoloza", the first and only South African entry into the America's cup (2007 in Valencia). Geoff was also reserve tactician to Harold Cudmore (who we hope will join the Webinar and answer questions) for the British AC Team in Perth 1987.

Jan Dekker - Jan has been involved with three America's Cup campaigns. He was with the French Team in 1995, the Alinghi Team right through from 2006 until 2010 then in 2013 he was with the Oracle Team when they won. He is a professional racing sailor currently actively involved with various yachts including the successful "Rambler".

Mike Giles - Pro sailor who was a crew member aboard "Shosholoza" and has done a lot of international sailing projects. Sailed against Ben Ainslie among others in the Laser Class in the late nineties.

David Abromowitz, the Marine Inspirations man in SA joined the debate. As Commodore of the Royal Cape Yacht Club in 1992 he negotiated on behalf of the YC and the country with Thabo Mbeki (who later became President) with the aim of having a South African challenge. He travelled to New Zealand together with Geoff Meek at that time with the view of buying one of their AC 12 meters for the 1995 America’s Cup.

Rob Sharp is the Master of Ceremonies and tried to keep the boys in line. Rob, himself is a long time off shore yachtsman, and among other things won,along with John Martin, the 1986 Carlsberg Double Handed Race from Plymouth UK to Newport, Rhode Island.

The Funds raised will be used to pay for swimming lessons at Lawhill Maritime Centre. It is crazy to teach these under privileged kids maritime subjects in preparation for going to sea and then find out they cannot swim! All too frequently this is the case of youngsters in the townships and we feel it is really crucial that they overcome their fear of the water and are taught to swim. One of our students recently confessed that her twin sister drowned when she was just 5 years old.

On a lighter side a yacht captain friend who cannot swim was asked what he would do if the boat sank. His reply was that he would just drop to the bottom and run like hell towards the shore! Mind you he is Australian so what can you expect!