Because the spreaders extend so far out, any close quarters engagements would be out of the question. This would have the effect of turning the America's Cup into a drag race, which would reduce the spectator appeal. According to a spokesman, the new mast being tested by Team New Zealand does not rotate, does not have an articulating trailing edge, and does not utilize deck spreaders. Conventional wisdom suggests that anything oversized carries with it a penalty in terms of drag, so one must assume the designers have come up with something that outweighs that disadvantage. This may be improved stiffness, or in the notion that some aerodynamic advantage is gained when the mast twists under pressure, or a combination of the two.
All masts twist to a certain degree, which is usually regarded as a disadvantage.
It was an extremely well organized and successful stopover in the previous race, which was well supported by the French public. This enthusiasm will be further enhanced by the presence of a French entry and we expect a huge French following. The French entry that Alten recognized was that of two-time Around Alone winner Christophe Auguin, who simultaneously announced his entry in the race. Auguin has said that while he is an official entry in the next race, and has technical support to do it, he does not yet have a cash sponsor.