BMW Oracle Racing
BMW Oracle Racing is the name of a challenger team for the 32nd America's Cup 2007, whichtook place infront of Valencia . The syndicate, which ran under the flag of the Golden Gate Yacht Club (San Francisco, USA), was brought into being by Oracle founder Larry Ellison . As the Challenger of Record, BMW Oracle Racing traditionally setthe framework regulations for the 32nd America's Cuptogether with defending champion Alinghi (Switzerland) with the aim of adapting the competition to the requirements of modern media society and bringing it closer to a wider public.
Participation in 2003
The team
The team was founded as "Oracle Racing" in 2000 by Larry Ellison. The syndicate was based on Ellison's Sayonara campaign, with which the software billionaire had won five maxi world titles in a row. In the summer of 2002, somewhat surprisingly, the automobile manufacturer BMW became the main sponsor. From that point on, the team was called Oracle BMW Racing and, alongside Alinghi, Prada and OneWorld, was the favorite to win the Louis Vuitton Cup . With the two strong partners Oracle and BMW as well as an excellent international crew, Oracle BMW Racing like Alinghi was the prime example of a new generation of America's Cup challenges.
Louis Vuitton Cup 2002/03
The start in the Louis Vuitton Cup was mixed. In the first preliminary round, the team came up with 5: 3 wins, which were disappointing for their potential. Ellison reacted and brought New Zealander Chris Dickson, who had previously left the team, back on the boat as skipper. This was followed by eleven wins in a row and finally the final against Alinghi. The series was lost 1: 5, but was far closer than the bare numbers suggest. Alinghi then won the America's Cup against defending champions Team New Zealand. When they crossed the finish line in the fifth race, representatives from Oracle BMW Racing and Alinghi signed an agreement to hold the 32nd America's Cup as the new defending champions.
Participation in 2007
The team
Oracle BMW Racing was now Challenger of Record for 2007. Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli and his counterpart Larry Ellison shared a vision. The America's Cup is intended to be a modern, global sporting event for the general public and interesting for sponsors. The jointly developed regulations should lay the foundations. The team also continued to develop. In the summer of 2004, the partnership with BMW was renewed and the team was renamed BMW Oracle Racing, since BMW was no longer just a sponsor, but also made contributions of a technical nature and in marketing. Skipper Chris Dickson was entrusted with the management of the campaign for 2007 , who once again put together a powerful international team. Even if there were some personnel changes (for example the American and victorious Volvo Ocean Race skipper John Kostecki left the campaign, but the German Tony Kolb joined the team) BMW Oracle Racing is once again one of the top favorites expected.
Louis Vuitton Acts 2005-2007
Part of the innovations for the 32nd America's Cup are regattas in advance, the 13 so-called Louis Vuitton Acts, in which all challengers and the defending champion must take part. On the one hand, they serve as preparation and, above all, should offer the smaller teams the opportunity to practice competition, and on the other hand, they should attract media attention. From a sporting point of view, it is not entirely unexpected that the so-called "Big Four" BMW Oracle Racing, Alinghi, Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Challenge will make up the 2007 Cup victory among themselves. BMW Oracle Racing achieved the following placements in Acts 1–12: 1-3-3-3-4-2-2-4-2-1-4-3.
Louis Vuitton Cup 2007
In the Round Robins (2 × each against each other), BMW Oracle Racing qualified 2nd behind Emirates Team New Zealand for the semi-finals against Luna Rossa Challenge, where they were eliminated 1: 5.
Participation in 2010
To participate in the 33rd America's Cup , the team developed a new trimaran called BMW Oracle Racing 90 (BOR90). With this it won the competition against Alinghi on February 14, 2010 after the second race. The cup was preceded by massive legal disputes, which were carried out in American courts.
literature
- Ivor Wilkins: BMW Oracle Racing - Quest for the Cup - The Journey begins 2003-2005 . ISBN 0473106310
