AC35 head games begin: ETNZ on why the other teams didn't pursue "cyclors"

QUOTE-UNQUOTE: “I think one of the main reasons others discounted it is the influence of sailors in dominant roles who felt threatened by such radical change,” Meldrum said. “It’s easy to understand – what would you do if you’d just spent a hard six months off-season conditioning to become a unit with huge shoulders and stick legs, then some designer thinks you should throw away the bench press and slip into some Lycra?“ It really goes against the tradition of an America’s Cup and grand prix sailing culture that has been strong in grinding for 30 years. Thankfully we took a rational scientific approach that let the numbers speak for themselves.” – Emirates Team New Zealand's Tim Meldrum, the mechanical designer at ETNZ who has led the Kiwis’ much talked about cycling project, speaking with Tom Carey who is in Bermuda to cover the America's Cup for The Telegraph (UK). The article appeared in yesterday's paper, and is headlined, "Rival teams rejected pedal power because they feared radical change, says Team New Zealand designer." A MUST READ for AC fans. Click on the headline to read it online.

The Kiwis have replaced traditional grinding pedestals with a row of static bicycles. Photo: AP via The Telegraph