America's Cup

What's even more impressive is Team USA turning around what appeared to be certain defeat at 8-1 to 8-8 and take it to the final race, aided of course by the UK's Ben Aynslie. 

Not sure what the relevance of Ben Aynslie being from the UK has (everyone comes from somewhere); but (using massive amounts of corporate money) one egotistical rich guy's team just beat another egotistical rich guy's team, in what may simultaneously be one the biggest chokes by a loser in sporting history, and possibly the least important news of the day.

You're consistent Wink, I'll give you that.

Seems a bit dodgy to me.

What would the financial implications of an 9-1 win to New Zealand have been. My money's on a 9-8 win to New Zealand.

Unbelievably, the BBC are calling it "Sir Ben Ainslie's Oracle Team". WTF? Of course, the 'strayun press are simultaneously calling it "James Spithill's Oracle Team". WTF x2?

Does nationalism know no borders?

Oops.

winky, who was the egotistical rich guy behind Team New Zealand?  

Emirates was the naming rights sponsor but as far as I know there was no 'egotistical rich guy' behind ETNZ.  Grant Dalton of Team NZ worked really hard to secure the necessary sponsorship from numerous parties to fund the team to the tune of $100 million (of which $35 million came from the NZ tax payer).  This budget pales in comparison to what Larry Ellison spent on OTUSA.  In the end the team with the deepest pockets and fanciest toys won (apparently OTUSA's SAS automated foiling device was a major factor) but your description of TNZ is inaccurate.

For what its worth if TNZ had won their vision for future events was to reduce the cost of participation and to institute some form of nationality clause, but I doubt the latter would sit well with you either.

One last point - there were more Kiwis in the event than any other nationality, the CEO of OTUSA is himself a Kiwi, and both boats were built in New Zealand. Yes, we are a proud sailing nation and punch well above our weight in this particular area of sporting endeavour and technology.

Aplogies that I made an assumption regarding a wealthy individual co-ordinating the fundraising for team NZ. My claims that they spent a bunch of corporate money, raised by people like you and I buying the prodcuts (airfares) stands. More egregious (in my view) is the idea that taxes were spent on this.

You're right that porfessional nationally organsised sporting teams aren't my favourite concept by a long way. When I competed in sailing (up to and inclusing world champioships), I had a job and paid my own way. We all did. The sailing was a hobby. It was thrilling and fun. Nobody watched us, few cared about the results, but so what?

Oh, and yes, New Zealand produces a higher number of top-class sailors and yacht designers per capita than anywhere else on earth. By a long way. It always has (as long as I've been in the sport, anyway).