BMW Oracle's Victory Tour starts in San Francisco
[Source: BMW Oracle] Larry Ellison and his BMW Oracle Racing team have received the key to the city of San Francisco from Mayor Gavin Newsom.
On the first stop of the BMW Oracle Racing Americas’ Cup Victory Tour presented by Oracle and BMW EfficientDynamics, the America’s Cup trophy was available for public viewing at the San Francisco City Hall Rotunda on Saturday morning. The Mayor welcomed the Cup and team back to the United States and specifically to San Francisco, where he says he’d like to see the Cup stay.
“We’re going to do whatever it takes to support the America’s Cup staying right here in San Francisco Bay – Mayor Newsom said – We’ve got the natural amphitheatre, which is the Bay and we have the spectators. If you want to elevate this sport, come to San Francisco Bay”.
The BMW Oracle team with the America's Cup. San Francisco, 20 February 2010. Photo copyright Gilles Martin-Raget / BMW OracleThe venue for the 34th America’s Cup hasn’t been selected, with Larry Ellison (USA) noting that his team would consult with the America’s Cup community on the next edition of the Cup before making any decisions.
“I think the most important thing is to make the right choice for the sport and all of the teams involved. That’s our number one concern – Ellison said – Having said that, our yacht club is from San Francisco. I’m from San Francisco and this is a great place to sail”.
At San Francisco’s City Hall on Saturday the sailing team signed posters and hats for the large crowd, who also had the opportunity to take photographs with the trophy.
The Cup arrived in the United States on Friday afternoon, flying in from Valencia, Spain, where BMW Oracle Racing won the 33rd America’s Cup on February 14th.
After touching down at 4 pm local time Friday, the Cup travelled with a police escort to the Golden Gate Yacht Club, where the team enjoyed a Q+A session with club members and special guests.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom with Larry Ellison. San Francisco, 20 February 2010. Photo copyright Gilles Martin-Raget / BMW OracleLarry Ellison, who founded the team and is a member of the afterguard in the race crew, noted it had taken 10 years, and three attempts, for him to complete his quest for the Cup: “The third time is the charm – he said – From the sailors to the design team and boat builders… Everyone’s work combined in Valencia to deliver us the 33rd America’s Cup”.
On Sunday, the Victory Tour continues with the America’s Cup heading south to San Diego, where the team operated a training base for 16 months in preparation for the competition in Valencia. At 4.00 pm the trophy will be on public display at the USS Midway museum on the city’s waterfront. Following a 5.00 pm ceremony with Mayor Jerry Sanders, the trophy and team will head to the San Diego Yacht Club on board the replica of the yacht America, for which the trophy is named. A flotilla of San Diego boats will parade along with America for a sunset sail across San Diego Bay to former Cup holder San Diego Yacht Club.
Labels: 34th America's Cup, BMW Oracle
8 Comments:
Don't forget the legal team, they helped you win it more than anyone else!
It's been settled on the water and in the courts yet all one continues to hear is the whining from the Alinghi fans. Come guys, lets move forward.
Seriously! What court legal team decided the 15 minute delta in the first race and the 5+ minute delta in Race 2? Not to mention the 2 penalties on Alinghi? I missed that information... Alinghi pressed powered winches, Alinghi pressed water ballast, Alinghi pressed LOW measurements...tried to stack the cards in their favor and got beat at their own game. Suck it up and go home. Nobody likes poor sports and ridiculous whiners.
It's amazing how blind Alinghi fans turn to the obvious. Not that it's surprising, they've been doing it now for three years.
Typical ORACLE and Larry! They take 30 people to the victory tour. Some of those people in that pic didnt do shit to help us win! I look back and see Ernesto took the whole team to both parties.
Now lets hope that these guys can come up with a good protocol. Something where all teams can compete at a fair level. Oracle need to prove that they are worthy of the cup. The world is looking at them and no one thinks they are the real cup holders. The only way they will ever be the true holder is if they beat Alinghi on a level playing field without lawyers in the game. Im not sure BOR will have the balls to create a fair playing field. Lets see.
@ 9:47 AM anon
"The only way they will ever be the true holder is if they beat Alinghi on a level playing field without lawyers in the game."
You seem to ignore the fact that BMWOracles lawyers did exactly that: Establish a level playing field.
You need to get used to the fact that Alinghi went down big time, was not capable of coming up with a competitive design and lost "on the water" the exact location they always claimed the competition should take place. Alinghi are no longer the cup holders (perhaps never ever will be again) and in my world (as opposed to your world) people look at Alinghi and feel pitty for them. Even the Swiss seem to have lost their superior confidence in "Swiss Made" when it comes to A5, the fat baby.
12:36.
It would be a beautiful thing to watch alinghi come back at the Oracle guys and beat them fair and square on the water. How would Larry be looking then. All it takes is for BOR to come up with a decent protocol and then for Ernesto to go for it. BOR should be shaking in their boots. But then of course BOR will most likely do everything they can to keep Ernie out of the next one so that they at least have a slim chance of holding on to the cup.
@ 5:32 PM anon
May I point out to you that BMWOracle just recently beat Alinghi fair and square on the water. If BMWOracle does a job in AC34 as good as they did in AC 33, there is no reason to overly worry about Alinghi. The Swiss team already started disintegrating, key figures are on their way out, EB is "not amused" and Alinghi will not be the same come AC 34. It is not even sure right now, if they will have the guts to compete. Perhaps EB will focus more on "lake sailing" and wandering in the mountains...
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