Peter Bentley is still getting in the neck...

From Andrew Banks
What's your view on Amer Sports Too's performance? It's not enough to be out there, taking part in the Volvo Ocean Race. Ten or fifteen years ago that would have seemed like a laudable goal in itself, but the nature of the race has moved on from an adventure where crews were prepared to give their right arm to get on a boat; to a professional global yacht race, where the crews are paid good salaries to compete at the highest level. In the light of this, to imply as some people seem to, that the fact the women are out there means they are above criticism, is ironically enough an attitude that smacks of sexism.

In professional sport those who come last frequently get a pasting from the media, and their actions will be analysed perhaps to a greater degree than any of their competitors, but this is how it is for any team, whatever their gender make up. It isn't part of some sort of conspiracy. I also think that those defending the performance of Amer Sports Too should avoid doing so by attacking other teams; this is the kind of whinging one associates with Optimist sailors (and their parents) when they finish at the back of the fleet in an Open, and it does the women no favours at all.

From Iain Rabbitts, Auckland
What do you think the women are up to? I am all in favour of women competing on an even footing with men. Having separate classes for men and women is surely not equality. Would it not be better to say I am the best in the world at this event than to say I am the best man or woman in the world. I am all for equality for women and therefore think that all events should be open to both men and women from youth world championships through Olympics to ocean racing. Let's stop splitting men and women into separate fleets.

The other issue of men and women splitting into different events is where do mixed crews sail? In some cases this can mean that a really good crew has to be split if they want to complete in an event because one of them pees in the wrong toilet. Are men that scared by women that we don't want to race them? Do women not think they can beat the men?

Besides which, sailing with the opposite sex can be huge fun. As far as Amer Sports Too goes - I don't really care. Are the sponsors happy and is the crew enjoying the experience? Are those not the only two important questions. The two articles from Peter Bentley and Suzie Westmacot are in my opinion utter drivel. Peter bangs on about how poor the women are and Suzie bangs on about how they are at least equal with the boys if, if, if... Sailing in general is not helped by these articles and although I read them both I got very bored with unsolicited attacks and sweeping generalisations. If Peter and Suzie have opinions like this it is probably better kept to themselves.

From Stephen White, Sydney AUS
What's your view on Amer Sports Too's performance? Really you would either have to be on board, or study the log detail that their software is no doubt recording to find where Amer Sports Too is falling behind. So how can anyone outside the campaign be so certain? No doubt the Amer Sport team know what's up but the rest of us can only speculate. However, of the following I am quite sure.

The Volvo Race is very tough. Performance in this event is a function of design, preparation, motivation, endurance, strength, fitness, routing, tactics and the equation of speed versus longevity in heavy conditions. For a considerable portion of leg two the VO60s race in trying conditions which bring the later equation into play. The skipper of each yacht must decide how hard to push and when to throttle back as Paul Cayard learnt to do in the previous race. Ultimately the yachts which are most successful in balancing the equation set the fastest 24 hour runs and live to tell the tale. In the previous race EF Education performed strongly once clear of the southern latitudes and we should expect that Amer Sports Too could well do the same in this race.

The final legs will no doubt see much covering by those in contention for the overall lead and places at which stage Amer Sports Too could well be at the front on any given leg, despite their limitations of strength and preparation. In the meantime they seem to be racing to finish the Southern Ocean legs. By June the wisdom of such a strategy may emerge. Having watched the start in Southampton and now having returned home to Sydney I look forward to seeing the VOR boats finish. There can be little doubt the welcome for Amer Sports Too will be at least as strong as for the boats ahead of her.

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