California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute

The America’s Cup is coming back to the United States courtesy of Californian
Larry Ellison.

Ellison, most notable for his position as CEO of Redwood City –based Oracle has
lead the management of the BMW/Oracle sponsored boat from the Golden Gate Yacht
Club, to achieve success with its cutting edge trimaran boat by winning back the
prized America’s Cup beating the two-time defending champion, Alinghi of Switzerland
with a two-race sweep of a best of three competition off the shores of Spain in the
33rd America’s Cup.

BMW Oracle is the first American team to win the trophy since America3 in 1992.
Ellison's victory over rival Ernesto Bertarelli will see the trophy heading over
the Atlantic specifically back to San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club.

The Cup is the oldest active trophy in international sport, predating the Modern
Olympics by 45 years. Originally named the Royal Yacht Squadron Cup, it became
known as the "America's Cup" after the first yacht to win the trophy, the schooner
America.

The rules regarding the America’s Cup are overwhelming and a moving target as the
winner has leverage in formulating them.  However the courts are involved in the
settlement of such actions as was the situation surrounding this challenge to the
America’s Cup.  Based upon the success of BMW/Oracle, they now get to determine
the next venue for the challenge to Cup.  The forefront runners are of course
San Francisco, San Diego and Newport Rhode Island, the long time home of the
America’s Cup until the loss to the Australians in 1983.  The decision to host
a Cup could mean a significant economic impact to the host community.
Go California!

Meanwhile, Ellison said following BMW Oracle's victory that the yacht class for the
America's Cup would be determined by a consensus among the America's Cup community. 
Expectations are that a design rule for mono-hulls that represents an evolution
from today's America's Cup Class yachts, faster boats with more high-tech features,
is the most likely direction.  Whether there will be the excitement of scaling up
the yachts to the proportions of the fabled J-Class, and what sort of technology
will be involved, are questions that will be explored in the decision-making process
for the new class.  If you have not seen the pictures of the giant multi-hull
trimaran that was built in the state of Washington, see below.  Estimates of
potential speed by experts place the possibility of 45 knots.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.

For further information see  www.americascup.com
and www.bmworacleracing.com  Also see further pictures posted at the
CalBizBlog - www.CalBizBlog.com