San Francisco Bay - spectacular venue for WMRT

by BMW Oracle Media on 31 Oct 2006
BMW ORACLE Racing, the U.S. Challenger for the America’s Cup, wrapped up racing this weekend in their only American regatta this year in their homeport of San Francisco, host city of the Allianz Cup presented by Oracle.

BMW ORACLE Racing fielded two teams for this hometown display of head-to-head match racing against top America’s Cup helmsmen in the only U.S. stop and one of the most competitive line-ups ever on the World Match Racing Tour. CEO and Skipper Chris Dickson finished the regatta in seventh place overall following a hard-fought quarterfinal round against Allianz Cup finalist Ed Baird, helmsman for America’s Cup defender Alinghi. Ben Ainslie and his Emirates Team New Zealand crew today won the Allianz Cup presented by Oracle.

BMW ORACLE Racing team owner and afterguard member Larry Ellison earned two wins in three races on the final day of the round robin, but fell short of advancing through to the quarterfinal round in his first-ever World Tour event as skipper.

Dickson’s crew for the Allianz Cup included Kazuhiko Sofuku, Jann Neergaard, Zach Hurst and Paul Westlake. Ellison’s crew included Gavin Brady, Rod Dawson, Morgan Trubovich, and Brad Webb. The 16 teams raced J/105s, a one-design class of boats about 35-feet long.

Ellison was impressed with the competitive line-up he faced on San Francisco Bay this week. 'It’s quite astonishing at how good they are at what they do,' Ellison said at an event press conference at host St. Francis Yacht Club. 'It was an honor to be out and race amongst them. It is not often we see this caliber of sailing on San Francisco Bay.'

The Oracle CEO took the opportunity to plug the Bay as a fantastic racing venue, the same waters he hopes will soon be home to the America’s Cup. 'This is the best natural sailing amphitheatre in the world.' The Allianz Cup presented by Oracle followed Oracle OpenWorld October 22-26, Oracle’s annual conference in San Francisco, this year attended by 43,000 Business and Technology professionals.

Jan Carendi, Allianz SE Management Board member commented after visiting the Allianz Cup presented by Oracle: 'After having had the experience of visiting our America’s Cup sponsored team BMW ORACLE Racing in Valencia, Spain and now being with the crews in San Francisco it is clear to see that the sport of sailing requires similar values and skills as we require as a global financial services company, where teamwork and strategy can make the difference between winning and losing.'

Carendi continued, 'Sailing, and in particular match racing requires the right amount of people and the right amount of skills and this is a balancing act that we face in our businesses where often we can find ourselves in un-chartered waters.

During the regatta, the Golden Gate Yacht Club hosted a team BBQ honoring the Challenger of Record at its home club and raised $5,000 for its junior sailing program. The club auctioned team gear and Allianz Cup guest rides on board the event VIP yacht, the replica of the schooner America, for which the America’s Cup is named after it won the inaugural Cup race in 1851. San Franciscans who came down to the waterfront race village to watch the competition were treated to the sight of the schooner under full sail on the Bay.

While the Bay did not offer classic San Francisco conditions for most of the Allianz Cup regatta, the consolation prize for the lighter northerly breeze was brilliant sunny skies and warm Indian summer temperatures for most of the event.

The regatta was the fifth stage of the World Match Racing Tour which includes 15 events. The Allianz Cup presented by Oracle offered a US$100,000 prize purse and is the only regatta in the series taking place in the USA. The special prize for the overall winner of the World Match Racing Tour 2006/2007 will be provided by the Tour’s partner and 'Official Car' BMW, which is also team partner of BMW ORACLE Racing.

Final Results - Top 8:

1. Ben Ainslie (GBR), Emirates Team New Zealand

2. Ed Baird (USA), Alinghi

3. Jesper Bank (DEN), United Internet Team Germany

4. Ian Williams (GBR), Team Pindar

5. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Viano Mercedes Benz – Shosholoza

6. Peter Gilmour (AUS), PST

7. Chris Dickson (NZL), BMW ORACLE Racing

8. Peter Holmberg (ISV), Alinghi



For further information about the Allianz Cup presented by Oracle please go to: www.allianzcup.com.