BMW Oracle Racing
Encyclopedia
Oracle Racing is an American
sailboat racing syndicate initially formed to compete for the 2003 America’s Cup. They competed again in the 2007 event before winning the 33rd America's Cup regatta in 2010 - representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club
.
The syndicate was initially named simply Oracle for the 2003 campaign and backed primarily by Larry Ellison
, the wealthy co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation
, but was renamed in August 2004 to Oracle BMW
Racing to reflect the German company's role, and subsequently revised again to BMW Oracle Racing to reflect increased involvement from BMW. At the end of December 2010, it was announced that BMW was bringing to a close its longstanding partnership with ORACLE Racing and thereby ending its involvement in the America's Cup; this was by mutual agreement of both partners.
’s AmericaOne syndicate which was the losing finalist against Luna Rossa
in the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup
. The syndicate got off to a rocky start with changes in the skipper position, alternating between Cayard and Chris Dickson
, to Dickson alone, to Peter Holmberg
and then back to Dickson. Oracle reached the finals of the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup
, losing to Alinghi
5-1.
, Spain
. BMW Oracle Racing, lost to Luna Rossa Challenge 5 to 1 in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup
Semi Finals.
to be the CEO of the 33rd America's Cup campaign. In July 2007, the Golden Gate Yacht Club
, sponsoring BMW Oracle Racing, filed a challenge with the Société Nautique de Genève
for the 33rd America's Cup
stating that they did not believe that SNG's hand picked challenger, Club Náutico Español de Vela (CNEV) was a qualified club under the Deed of Gift.
After extensive court action, Golden Gate Yacht Club
was declared Challenger of Record and sailed against SNG's team: Alinghi, in February 2010 in Valencia, Spain
. The competing boats, Alinghi 5
and USA 17 were both 90-foot multihulls.
BMW Oracle Racing won the America's Cup on February 14, 2010, off Valencia, Spain, beating Alinghi 2-0 in the best-of-three series and becoming the first American syndicate to win the cup since 1992. The rigid wing sail of USA 17 provided a decisive advantage and Golden Gate Yacht Club won the 2010 America's Cup by a considerable margin.
USA 87:
On March 26, 2006, BMW Oracle Racing christened “USA 87”. The hull is two feet shorter than the older boat "USA 76" and features a bow sprit. While this boat was initially believed to have a tandem keel
, it is now accepted that the boat uses a conventional single strut keel.
USA 98:
USA 98 was delivered in January 2007 and was evaluated against USA 71 until transfer to Valencia, Spain for the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007 campaign.
USA 17 is a trimaran measuring 90 feet (27.4 m) length-on-waterline, maximum beam of 90 feet (27.4 m), and length overall of 113 feet (34.4 m). She was launched on the 22nd of August 2008 in the city of Anacortes, Washington, USA. The boat was BMW Oracle Racing's entry for a Deed of Gift match against SNG/Alinghi that took place in February 2010 in Valencia. The yacht's mainsail
is a rigid wing that is 224 feet (68.3 m) tall and some 55 percent larger than the wing of an Airbus 380 airplane, making it the largest rigid wing ever.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sailboat racing syndicate initially formed to compete for the 2003 America’s Cup. They competed again in the 2007 event before winning the 33rd America's Cup regatta in 2010 - representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club
Golden Gate Yacht Club
The Golden Gate Yacht Club is a yacht club founded in 1939 and is the current holder of the America's Cup won by its racing team BMW Oracle Racing.In 1939 the first members built a clubhouse on a barge in the San Francisco Marina...
.
The syndicate was initially named simply Oracle for the 2003 campaign and backed primarily by Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison
Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Ellison is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Oracle Corporation, one of the world's leading enterprise software companies. As of 2011, he is the third wealthiest American citizen, with an estimated worth of $33 billion.- Early life :Larry Ellison was born in the...
, the wealthy co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
, but was renamed in August 2004 to Oracle BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
Racing to reflect the German company's role, and subsequently revised again to BMW Oracle Racing to reflect increased involvement from BMW. At the end of December 2010, it was announced that BMW was bringing to a close its longstanding partnership with ORACLE Racing and thereby ending its involvement in the America's Cup; this was by mutual agreement of both partners.
2003 America's Cup
The team was created by purchasing the assets of Paul CayardPaul Cayard
Paul Pierre Cayard is an American yachtsman and professional sailor. He has competed at multiple world championship level sailing events, including the America's Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race and the Olympic Games. In 1998 he was selected as the Rolex Yachtsmen of the Year...
’s AmericaOne syndicate which was the losing finalist against Luna Rossa
Luna Rossa Challenge
Luna Rossa Challenge is an Italian sailboat racing syndicate, created to compete for the 2000 America's CupSponsored by Prada, and beginning from 2005 also by Telecom Italia.-2000 Louis Vuitton Cup:...
in the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup
Louis Vuitton Cup
The Louis Vuitton Cup is a yachting competition connected with the America's Cup. The Louis Vuitton Cup was used as the selection series to select the team to sail as the challenger in the America's Cup...
. The syndicate got off to a rocky start with changes in the skipper position, alternating between Cayard and Chris Dickson
Chris Dickson (sailor)
Christopher Stuart Dickson, born 3 November 1961 in Auckland, is an internationally known sailor from New Zealand. He was world youth champion three years in succession and later became world match race champion three times...
, to Dickson alone, to Peter Holmberg
Peter Holmberg
Peter Holmberg is a sailor from the U.S. Virgin Islands, who won a silver medal in Men's Finn Class in the 1988 Summer Olympics, his country's only Olympic medal so far. He was born on Saint Thomas.-External links:*...
and then back to Dickson. Oracle reached the finals of the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup
2003 Louis Vuitton Cup
The 6th Louis Vuitton Cup was held in Auckland, New Zealand in 2003. The winner, Alinghi, went on to challenge for the 2003 America's Cup.-The teams:The Yacht Club Punta Ala was the challenger of record.-Alinghi:...
, losing to Alinghi
Alinghi
Alinghi is the syndicate set up by Ernesto Bertarelli, racing under the colors of the Société Nautique de Genève, to challenge for the America's Cup. Bertarelli had raced several smaller yachts named Alinghi previously, but 2003 was his first attempt at the America's Cup...
5-1.
2007 America's Cup
BMW Oracle Racing was the Challenger-of-Record for the 2007 America’s Cup which was held in ValenciaValencia (city in Spain)
Valencia or València is the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain, with a population of 809,267 in 2010. It is the 15th-most populous municipality in the European Union...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. BMW Oracle Racing, lost to Luna Rossa Challenge 5 to 1 in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup
2007 Louis Vuitton Cup
The 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup held in Valencia, Spain from April 16 to June 6 was the event used to select the challenger for the 2007 America's Cup. Eleven potential challengers competed in the competition which consisted of two round robins, two semi-finals and a final...
Semi Finals.
33rd America's Cup (2010)
Larry Ellison hired Russell CouttsRussell Coutts
Sir Russell Coutts, KNZM, CBE is a competitive sailor. His achievements include a Gold medal in the Finn Class in the 1984 Olympic Games, winning the America's Cup four times, the ISAF World Youth championships, three World Match Racing Championships, numerous international match race wins and...
to be the CEO of the 33rd America's Cup campaign. In July 2007, the Golden Gate Yacht Club
Golden Gate Yacht Club
The Golden Gate Yacht Club is a yacht club founded in 1939 and is the current holder of the America's Cup won by its racing team BMW Oracle Racing.In 1939 the first members built a clubhouse on a barge in the San Francisco Marina...
, sponsoring BMW Oracle Racing, filed a challenge with the Société Nautique de Genève
Société Nautique de Genève
The Société Nautique de Genève is a yacht club based in Geneva . It was founded in 1872 with the goal of developing nautical sports and high level sailors...
for the 33rd America's Cup
America's Cup (33rd edition)
The 33rd America's Cup between Société Nautique de Genève defending with team Alinghi against Golden Gate Yacht Club, and their racing team BMW Oracle Racing was the subject of extensive court action and litigation, surpassing in acrimony even the controversial 1988 America's Cup...
stating that they did not believe that SNG's hand picked challenger, Club Náutico Español de Vela (CNEV) was a qualified club under the Deed of Gift.
After extensive court action, Golden Gate Yacht Club
Golden Gate Yacht Club
The Golden Gate Yacht Club is a yacht club founded in 1939 and is the current holder of the America's Cup won by its racing team BMW Oracle Racing.In 1939 the first members built a clubhouse on a barge in the San Francisco Marina...
was declared Challenger of Record and sailed against SNG's team: Alinghi, in February 2010 in Valencia, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The competing boats, Alinghi 5
Alinghi 5
The Alinghi 5 is a LWL, beam sloop-rigged catamaran built by Alinghi for the 33rd America's Cup.It was launched on 8 July 2009 being lifted from the construction shed in Villeneuve, Vaud by a Mil Mi-26 helicopter and carried thereby to Lake Geneva. It was subsequently carried to Genoa, Italy...
and USA 17 were both 90-foot multihulls.
BMW Oracle Racing won the America's Cup on February 14, 2010, off Valencia, Spain, beating Alinghi 2-0 in the best-of-three series and becoming the first American syndicate to win the cup since 1992. The rigid wing sail of USA 17 provided a decisive advantage and Golden Gate Yacht Club won the 2010 America's Cup by a considerable margin.
Boats
BMW Oracle Racing owns four IACC boats. USA 71 and USA 76 were built for the 2003 America’s Cup while USA 87 and USA 98 were built for the 2007 America’s Cup.USA 87:
On March 26, 2006, BMW Oracle Racing christened “USA 87”. The hull is two feet shorter than the older boat "USA 76" and features a bow sprit. While this boat was initially believed to have a tandem keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
, it is now accepted that the boat uses a conventional single strut keel.
USA 98:
USA 98 was delivered in January 2007 and was evaluated against USA 71 until transfer to Valencia, Spain for the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007 campaign.
USA 17 is a trimaran measuring 90 feet (27.4 m) length-on-waterline, maximum beam of 90 feet (27.4 m), and length overall of 113 feet (34.4 m). She was launched on the 22nd of August 2008 in the city of Anacortes, Washington, USA. The boat was BMW Oracle Racing's entry for a Deed of Gift match against SNG/Alinghi that took place in February 2010 in Valencia. The yacht's mainsail
Mainsail
A mainsail is a sail located behind the main mast of a sailing vessel.On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast....
is a rigid wing that is 224 feet (68.3 m) tall and some 55 percent larger than the wing of an Airbus 380 airplane, making it the largest rigid wing ever.