In Auckland in 2021, the AC75s proved their worth as match-racing machines, delivering jaw-dropping speed and manoeuverabilty. They demand lightning-quick reflexes from the helms and trimmers, and exceptional stamina from the sailors who provide the muscle. Love ’em or hate ’em, you can only admire the genius of the designers and the skills of the sailors.

How did the America’s Cup get to this stage? Some observers bemoan the spectacle of yachts that look the same upwind and downwind, with tacks and gybes that look identical, with no sail changes, no crew choreography, and sailors hidden below the sheerline to minimise parasitic aero drag. Many people say they long for a traditional America’s Cup. But what does that mean?

Traditional probably means what they like. If the speaker is of the same generation as your scribe, they probably want a traditional America’s Cup in 12 Metre yachts, or IACC yachts. There’s still plenty of sailboat racing in boats big and small where the sailors don’t wear helmets and body armour, and we can see them scampering across the deck during tacks and gybes, hoists and drops, trimming and changing sails. But those sights are gone from the America’s Cup.