Coutts: OTUSA is working on additional grinding capability aft

NEWS ALERT: For the past month, the AC Event Authority has posted a Vlog (social media-speak for "Video Blog") featuring Russell Coutts, CEO of ACEA and ORACLE TEAM USA. Today's episode #4 is just out, and about two minutes into it RC quietly confirms that OTUSA is "looking to add some grinding capability in the back of the cockpit, they've been exploring that." This confirms speculation earlier this week, that we were among the first to report here on SAILING ILLUSTRATED, following a Facebook post to that effect by ETNZ. Is it pedal power a la the Kiwis for trimmer/tactician Tom Slingsby (AUS)? So with only two weeks to go to the start of real racing the AC plot, no surprise, continues to thicken.

Speaking of Mr Slingsby, there are recent rumors out of BDA that he was injured in the capsize (or some other mishap) earlier this week. Heard anything? Discuss in the America's Cup section of our new SAILING ILLUSTRATED Forum.