Louis Vuitton Cup, 2000 AC

We went to New Zealand to be there for the America's Cup. I worked in the city for a year but when the Louis Vuitton Media Center opened I was first in line for press credentials, which I was immediately issued. I quit my job in the city and hung out down at the docks, taking photos and writing stories for the next six months. I photographed 70 races, shot 700 rolls of film (no digital back then) and wrote a heap of stories.

I can tell you that it was exciting, from start to finish.

Click any image to enlarge

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Bow Man, America One

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Spanish Endessa

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Japan

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Circling on a windy day

Most of the other photographers hoped for sunny days but I liked the stormy ones better.

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Dawn Riley's America True

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Setting the kite

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Chaos on the foredeck

We've all been there; when it is a windy day and there's chaos on the foredeck even the owner heads forward to help out.

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The waves were breaking over the boats on this day, Tom Kolius on Abracadaba

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Calm days, someone always went up to look for breeze

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On this wave Young America, USA 53, Broke

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Everyone abandoned ship

We raced over and the water was filled with swimming sailors, but Young America didn't sink, and soon the crew went back on, put pumps aboard and took down the sails. After this the crew used the second boat, (after they strengthened it) but they were still, justifiably, a little spooked. The designer, Farr, blamed the break on the crew.

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Bad Rounding

On the starboard side of the boat the kite is going into the water and on the port side, a crewman is retrieved. Prada looked rough at the beginning but they got better, much better.

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Big waves in the Hauraki Gulf

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America One (US61)
Big Kites, small foredeck, no lifelines, real sailors.

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Eye to Eye

Notice Cayard (helm on America One) locked eyeball to eyeball with de Angelis on Prada.

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Classic Match Racing

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Prada Attacking

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Winners

Prada won the Louis Vuitton Cup, and the right to challenge, but New Zealand beat them 5-0 for the cup.

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Kiwi NZL62 Practicing