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When two billionaires decide to have a sailboat race, and they deem it A Big Deal, well then I guess it is. Or is it? Does this Moet Cup, a match race between Larry Ellison's Oracle BMW and Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi, have any significance at all, other than existing as an exhibition with lots of champagne? Hell, who knows, but I do know it looks pretty cool so we sent our lovely and talented Laurie Fullerton out from the East Coast to cover it and here are her reports for the series. The Ed. Visit the Official Moet Cup website Day 1 San Francisco, CA- Oracle BMW's Larry Ellison took his very first win aboard his America's Cup boat Oracle in the first race of a 12 race series on San Francisco Bay today at the Moet Cup. Race one was dominated by Oracle who won by 27 seconds, driven by Ellison, and watched by a throng of spectators along the shore who were getting their first glimpse of Cup racing at its best. "The quality of racing today was spectacular," Ellison said. "There was a lot of action around the marks and the spectators got a lot out of the race. Race two proved that Alinghi was just getting its groove back as the Swiss team dominated that race winning by 26 seconds. For mainsail trimmer and New Zealander Murray Jones, "the very short course sailing makes it a bit different as there is a premium on being first at the first cross. It is all coming back to us and we did have some trouble on the first race but we felt good on the second." While both races were completed in 20 knot winds with gusts and choppy seas, the brilliant backdrop of San Francisco bay introduced non-believers to the idea that the America's Cup is a perfect match for this city "San Francisco bay is a fabulous venue for America's Cup yachting. We understand we are racing against the best sailing team in the world and we are proud to be on the water facing them. Ernesto Bertarelli, who drove the first race of the regatta, lost his first bid to win aboard Alinghi to Ellison, but the strength of both owners shone threw today through some strategic and fantastic match racing. "When you see that number of people working so hard it shows how impressive America's Cup racing is," said Vendee Globe second place finisher Ellen MacArthur who was the 18th man aboard Oracle today. "The teamwork really impressed me most." The week long series begins again on San Francisco bay on Tuesday midday. 09/15/2003
San Francisco, CA- Two races and two wins for Oracle BMW racing puts the hometeam team at 3-1 in day two of the Moet Cup. Oracle finished 27 seconds and 30 seconds ahead of Alinghi respectively in a race day where sea room took on a whole new meaning. In a regatta where short courses and local knowledge means the boat that is first off the mark and first at the cross rules the waves, Oracle dominated both the starts and the first leg in both races today. "Sailing these boats in flat water and heavy winds with strong loads is intimidating," said Oracle helmsman Gavin Brady. "We have had six weeks of training and it is tougher in the bigger waves but the technology has allowed us to do this aggressive sailing to the limit." Race one was dominated by Oracle who picked the wind shifts on the upwind legs and covered expertly downwind. Race two gave Oracle the jump after both boats were over early at the start and with a quick turn around Oracle was off and running to the left towards Alcatraz while Alinghi went right towards San Francisco. "That was a case where the bowman said we were going to be over early and to slow down but the afterguard wasn't so sure we would be early," said pitman Josh Belsky of Alinghi. The Swiss team also had gear failure in the first leg which "forced us to tack when we didn't want to tack," Belsky said.
In both cases, Oracle picked the correct side and gave Alinghi little choice but to squeeze inside the harbor up the course. Forcing Alinghi into a corner where they ran out of room was Oracles' strong point today. "In these shorter legs of 1.8 miles if you make a small mistake you have to recover very quickly," Belsky said. "There is no room for mistakes but I love this kind of fast racing. In match racing like this, 75 percent of the wins come when you win the first cross. On the bay, if you don't win the cross the opponent can force you into the adverse currents and I think that is what Oracle was doing to us today." Oracle is loving this kind of racing, too, with spectatators lining the shore and catching on to the tactics. Even windsurfers got into the match flying past the powerful IACC boats any chance they could. "My last experience racing like this in 22 knots of wind or more was on Young America," said Ross Halcrow of Oracle BMW. "Those days, we were afraid things were going to break apart but not today. It was very exciting sailing that fast." 09/16/2003
Who Needs Russell? Uh, I think Alinghi does. Wow, whatever Russell Coutts is worth, pay him double. Oh wait, I think they already are. Even though I'm sure Oracle/BMW is stoked to be administering this beating to Alinghi, inside they must be kicking themselves: "Why couldn't we do this six months ago!!?? Lottsa woulda, shoulda, coulda, but Alinghi holds the Cup, and at least Oracle is getting a measure of revenge. SA babe on the spot Laurie Fullerton gives us the low down in Frisco.
San Francisco, CA - The California dream is becoming a reality for Oracle helmsman Larry Ellison and for Oracle/BMW racing who swept the Swiss Team Alinghi today by 2-0 in the owner-driver series and the pro-driver series at the premier Moet Cup regatta. Oracle's two victories over Alinghi by 38 seconds and 40 seconds respectively have started a debate about Russell Coutts' conspicuous absence and whether the tight five including Brad Butterworth, Warwick Fleury, Simon Daubney and Murray Jones are going to be too old to win the Cup in 2007. The questions being raised to Alinghi is where is the emerging young talent? "There is still no substitution for experience," said a slightly defensive Warwick Fleury, who will be 45 in 2007, when the age topic came up after today's race. "Yacht racing is all about preparation. The racing is close and when you get behind out there it is very hard and we do need to improve on some of our starts." Today's race was not about the young but about skill on the water as owner-driver race, Larry Ellison skillfully won the start for Oracle, while Alinghi's helmsman Ernesto Bertarelli was forced to take the unfavored side of the course. With the short courses and lack of sea room, once the starting gun is fired it is hard for the trailing boat to come back.
"We are very pleased to get a couple of more points on the board," said Oracle skipper and New Zealander Chris Dickson. "Alinghi is doing a great job of hanging in there and we had a very tiring race today both physically and psychologically. If the first start of the second race was not postponed, it could have gone very differently." A barge crossed near the line during the starting sequence of the second race, one which Jochen Schuemann was gearing up for brilliantly just as the two guns were fired for a postponement. During the second try, Oracle helmsman Gavin Brady won the start and stayed just upwind of Alinghi for the entire first leg. Although an upwind tacking duel closed the gap for Alinghi, they were not able to recover any sort of significant gain throughout the five legs. "It is possible that USA-76 is more suited for these conditions," Dickson said. When asked about whether the spectators were getting their fair share of the action, Dickson said, "We were sailing up the city front and I think we nearly scraped some people off the pier. I would say that if you are on the city front, be careful. You don't have to come to us, we are coming to you." As far as the physical toll this race is taking on the grinders and key pit people on the boat, "there are at least six or eight people on the boat who spend most of their time grinding," said Craig Monk, a New Zealander and former member of OneWorld and Team New Zealand respectively. "Our heart rates are up." "We have to be on the starting line tomorrow ready to go," said French team member of Alinghi Christian Karcher. The current score for the Moet Cup has Oracle leading the owner series by 2-0 and the pro race series by 3-1. 09/17/2003
RUSSEL WHO? San Francisco, CA - The fourth day of the Moet Cup belongs to Alinghi today with decisive wins in both the pro race and the owner race, giving Ernesto Bertarelli his first victory as helmsman aboard SUI-64. Race one gave Alinghi the gun with a 41 second lead while race two, which was completed on its second try, gave Alinghi a 35 second win. Race one was clearly the more dramatic with two lead changes in five legs. With Alinghi looking strong at the start, SUI-64 took the right side towards shore while Oracle split and went left past Alcatraz Island. The flyer to the left paid off as Oracle passed within inches in front of Alinghi and was first at the top mark by 10 seconds. "Every day is different here," said Oracle afterguard and legendary Bay sailor John Kostecki. The lead changed again on the downwind and Alinghi managed to hold its 10 second lead over Oracle while it forced Oracle into a penalty on the downwind leg when the two boats touched slightly. At the final moment of the first race, Oracle did a penalty turn, losing it by 40 seconds. "The spinnaker touched the backstays of Alinghi and we didn't give them room to stay clear," Kostecki said. The error cost Oracle the race which remained close for all five legs. In race two, after the first start was abandoned, it was Ernesto Bertarelli's turn to have his day to shine and he sailed a brilliant three leg race in the late afternoon breezes. "We got our timing right on the start today," said Alinghi tactician Murray Jones. "We did a great job on our starts." Once again, on the upwind leg, Alinghi chose to go closer to shore while Oracle took the middle of the bay. This time, Alinghi crossed in front of Oracle at the top mark leading by 19 seconds on the first leg. The Swiss stretched its lead to 34 seconds on the second leg and won it handily by 35 seconds overall. "Oracle is sailing very well and they are in a different mode than we are," Jones said. "They sail lower and faster and I do think Oracle is sailing pretty fast. We crossed the current on the first race and got the lighter breezes. It is a tough course because you choose the sides because of the currents but you can also lose the breeze." "The flood tide gets weaker at some points and Alinghi sailed it very well today. Their starts were a lot better than ours." The question of new team members and new venues is beginning to buzz around the Golden Gate Yacht Club and everyone is having a chance to weigh in. "For me, it is really up to Alinghi but in my heart of course I would like to sail in Spain," said Juan Vila, illbruck challenge champion and afterguard on Alinghi. "I think the people in Spain are really looking forward to it." As far as the testing of new talent, many are looking towards the Athens 2004 Olympics to recruit, but both teams are already using new but seasoned sailing veterans like Mark McTeague, Lorenzo Marsa on Alinghi and Jamie Gale from New Zealand and illbruck fame on Oracle. "We are definitely trying out new guys and it is going really well," Jones said. 09/18/2003
STAND OFF Looking for all the world like an absolute beating was going to take place, Alinghi has climbed back in the hunt today. Frankly, they didn't look very impressive early on and questions of sandbagging, using old sails, and a less than shining effort were being thrown about. Or maybe the whole thing is a fixed as the De La Hoya-Mosely fight? Enjoy Laurie's superb report.- Ed. San Francisco, CA - Tensions are building on San Francisco bay as the Moet Cup is tied at 3-3 in the pro- driver series after a hair-raising day of dodging cargo ships, sailboats and heavy wakes generated by spectator boats is giving the pro-sailors some extra challenges. Race one in the pro-series went to Alinghi today by 35 seconds after a fierce pre-start battle put Oracle/BMW in the dominate position at the start with New Zealander Gavin Brady at the helm. But while Oracle tends to sail lower and faster in this regatta and, according to Alinghi tactician Brad Butterworth, "is in a better mode for these conditions and is a faster boat here," the Swiss pulled off a 12 second lead at the top mark. Oracle shaved Alinghi's lead down to 11 seconds on the downwind but in a three leg course it was down to a fierce taking duel on the third leg where Alinghi extended its lead to 25 seconds to take the gun. "As the day progresses, Oracle gets faster downwind and has more speed on her but we have that speed earlier in the day," Butterworth said. "Both teams are sailing pretty much the same and it is a close boat race." On race 2 of the day, Ernesto Bertarelli of Alinghi and Larry Ellison of Oracle took the wheel only to face obstacles that have nothing to do with bringing more fans to the sport of sailing. Ironically, the business of ships and commerce force the owner-driver series into abandonment. As a massive cargo ship cut through the downwind course, Alinghi deftly jibed behind the stern of the ship while Oracle considered outrunning it and jibing in front. Thinking better of it, Oracle was then pinned between the ship and a passing barge and decided to dip behind the stern of the vessel, only to be spun around slightly by the ship's powerful draw. "We needed something like that to come through the two boats," said Simon Daubney of Alinghi with a twinkle in his eye. "It couldn't have been better timing for us." Indeed, Oracles' ship literally came in as the race was abandoned shortly after USA-76 nearly hit the side of a massive cargo vessel. "We were getting ready to jibe behind the vessel but I believe our spinnaker actually touched the side of the ship," said Brady. "After that, we were forced deep to the layline and the boat went head to wind so we had trouble rounding the mark." Due to the time constraints, the sailors agreed to return to the pro-driver format and will race the fourth owner driver race tomorrow when three races will be held. Race 2 belonged to Oracle although the dead even start promised the race could go either way. Both boats started on port tack and headed towards Alcatraz but with the 18-20 knot winds the separation began and Oracle extended its lead to five boat lengths mastering another great tacking duel. Alinghi opted to go right and take the "great circle route" giving Oracle a 40 second lead at the top mark. The short course format leaves little room to recover for that, and, according to Alinghi tactician Murray Jones, "it would have been nice if our ship came in on the second race." Oracle helmsman Gavin Brady is getting a true opportunity to shine during this tight series. With the pro- race tied the highly motivated Oracle is looking to Brady to come through. "It feels really good to be able to go out and race these boats and race against Alinghi," Brady said. "It feels good. I think the pressure is on and I am trying to improve things. We lost momentum these past days and it is good to get another win on the scoreboard. Both teams want to win it and it is going to be close. 09/19/2003Back to the Top
Rich Guy Wins Yacht Race Despite the notion that Alinghi showed up with less than all their bullets in the chamber, the Moet Cup turned out to be a good series. Laurie Fullerton turns in this final report from the week-long series. ED San Francisco, CA - A two series regatta The Moet Cup featuring billionaires Larry Ellison and Ernesto Bertarelli gave spectators, sailors, photographers and visitors a look at rich men at play as the two titans of today's America's Cup era battled it out on the water in the first ever owner-driver race with the high-performance IACC boats Alinghi and Oracle. "It could have gone either way," said an ebullient Larry Ellison who was sprayed with champagne and nearly thrown in the water after winning the owner-driver race by 3-2 today. Despite his aloof image, the hometown boy was applauded by over 1000 spectators and nearly 500 boats came out to watch the final races today. "It all came down to the last race," Ellison said. A gracious loser, the Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, added that "there is no substitution for preparation and training. If I ever helm an America's Cup boat in this kind of a regatta again I will train better." Bertarelli held his own quite well in the owner driver series as he took the gun in the first race this a.m. by 24 seconds over Oracle. With a clean start Alinghi had the port side of the track but Oracle was closing in on the right. After the top mark, the downwind leg put Oracle in the lead by a boat length. Suddenly, the spinnaker pole broke giving Alinghi the chance to capitalize on Oracle's gear failure. "I have won and I have lost and winning is better," said Ellison. "But, if you are to sail against the very best team in the world you cannot afford to make a mistake" After losing the spinnaker pole in race 1, Alinghi passed Oracle and in the short three-leg race format Oracle could not regain the lead. With Alinghi winning the first race, movie actor Robin Williams gave the guys a hoot as he sailed as the 17th man today. With the score tied at 2-2 the team switched to the pro-driver format for Race 2. Race 2 was the pro-driver series and although it was set for three legs, it was clear from the start that Oracle would dominate after Alinghi was seconds late for their start. Oracle stayed the course but was challenged at every upwind tack by Alinghi. Still, they maintained their lead and took the second race by 32 seconds giving the pros their victory. The owner-driver series was down to 2-2 this morning when Ernesto Bertarelli and the Alinghi team got the early advantage over Oracle at the start. "This is by far the best sailing I have ever seen on San Francisco bay," said legendary Bay sailor and tactician John Kostecki. "I am quite sure that local knowledge helped us and both Larry and I are very comfortable sailing on the bay. I have been out here for 35 years and the tides are what can effect every leg of a race. I think it did throw Alinghi off a little bit." On the final race of the owner-driver series, Alinghi incurred a penalty at the start for a windward-leeward obstruction. While the race and the tactics were pure match-racing, with up to 17 tacks on the first upwind leg Alinghi was force farther right and overstood the downwind mark, whereas Oracle nailed it on the top mark. Again, with a boat length advantage and the penalty turn, Alinghi lost the whole shooting match on the final leg looking higher and slower than Oracle by over a minute. "It is very therapeutic for us to not to just sit back and think that we are the best and not continue to work hard," said Bertarelli. In the end, the results were 4-3 in the pro-driver series and 3-2 in the owner-driver series. On land and after the race, the losing team appeared non-plussed by the defeat and rushed in to congratulate Larry Ellison and Oracle and spray him with champagne. And, Ellison took a moment to thank his new sailing team which appear to have the chemistry together already to become a formidable challenge in 2007. "From an Oracle standpoint we sailed a lot better here this week than we did in New Zealand," he said. "In the Louis Vuitton finals we lost two races because of a penalty. We've raised our own game where its competitive. And, San Francisco has different conditions but we are a new sailing team and we are doing a fantastic job. Being this competitive is not easy." 09/21/2003 |
