After nearly three years of legal wrangling and two years of testing and training on a trimaran platform, BMW Oracle USA soundly defeated Alinghi from Switzerland in the 33rd edition of The America’s Cup off the coast of Valencia Spain.
In the best of three series, the Swiss boat only had the lead for part of one leg of one race. The rest of the competition belonged to BMW Oracle as they out-sailed, outmaneuvered and appeared to have much more technical prowess as well.
The US trimaran begins to pull away from the Swiss catamaran after rounding the 1st mark of the second race
Now the fun really gets going as USA will be an integral part of reviving the race with a new boat design that had been sorrowfully held in a rule dating back to 1992. The Cup was held continuously by American sailors from 1857 until 1983 when Australia won it away for the first time. The Swiss won the cup from New Zealand in New Zealand in 2003 and beat them again in 2007 at the Valencia venue.
It is believed that since Larry Ellison’s BWM Oracle sails for the Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco, that the next America’s Cup will be contested in the incredible San Francisco Bay.
