AC35: With Friday racing postponed, six races now scheduled for Saturday

THE AMERICASCUP.COM WEBSITE is now showing six races scheduled for Saturday, all starting at 1400 ADT (Bermuda), 1300 EDT, 1000 PDT. Obviously, that means that racing will commence at 1400 and continue through the Bermuda afternoon even though there is only a two-hour live TV time slot from 1400-1600 ADT. That's enough time for four or maybe even five, 20-minute races with time between and what the TV guys call "tops" (intro) and "tales" (wrap-up at the end). More likely the 5th race and certainly the 6th race won't be covered live on TV, so we may not even get to see NZL v. USA on the NBCSN coverage.

Saturday's schedule, beginning at 1400 ADT (1300 EDT, 1000 PDT):

1 - USA v. FRA

2 - SWE v. JPN

3 - FRA v. NZL

4 - GBR v. SWE

5 - NZL v. USA

6 - GBR v. JPN

In case you were wondering, SI's Weather Guru, Mark Michaelsen, thinks they blew it by calling racing off, as he is seeing only 20 knots tops at what had been the scheduled race time of 1700 ADT today (Friday). Problem for AC organizers is the spectator boats, ferries between Hamilton and the AC Village, the viewing conditions in the AC Village (umbrellas are not permitted), and the opening ceremony/concert that also had been scheduled for Friday evening and is now also postponed to Saturday. No surprise, the non-racing elements are impacting the racing.

However, some forecasts are still showing a lot more wind at 1700 today, including this one from windy.com – 23 knots gusting to 31 – and the weather does look a lot nicer Saturday and Sunday....