Well this was a dumb idea, huh?
Thats a wrap! Action-packed weekend of racing at Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Gothenburg comes to a close with Emirates Team New Zealand on top. Thanks for making this a great event Gothenburg, see everyone in Bermuda! #LVACWS #acwsgothenburg #RacetoBermuda
Posted by America's Cup on Sunday, August 30, 2015
Sailors for the Sea is already on it, decrying that action and saying that
“This is an embarrassing time for all sailors when the management of our most important grand prix event chooses to ignore its obligation to protect the waters upon which we pursue our passion.What goes up, must come down. Sea turtles, whales, birds and 267 other sea creatures are known to have suffered from ingestion or entanglement from plastic debris in the ocean.Researchers from Queensland recently found that in one study, 78% of the plastic recovered from a sample of sea turtles came from eating balloons.”
Read their whole blog post here.
The America's Cup later made a statement on the same Facebook post, saying that
According to the local agency, the balloons were made from natural latex and designed for this kind of public release activity as the natural latex biodegrades in sunlight and seawater.But the America’s Cup Event Authority agrees that even with these precautions, a balloon release should not have happened.
SpinSheet: "Um, America's Cup, latex doesn't biodegrade in animals' stomachs. C'mon."
