If the America's Cup regatta, the world's premier sailing event, returns to this country for its next running, it will be held in San Francisco, sources in the state capital said Wednesday.
The city is expected to get a major boost today in its efforts to host the 34th incarnation of the storied sailing race with software mogul Larry Ellison's BMW Oracle Racing team announcing that San Francisco will be the sole U.S. city under consideration for the next cup race in 2013 or 2014, beating out previous hosts San Diego and Newport, R.I., those sources said.
The move paves the way for San Francisco to try to marshal national support for its effort to hold the series of yacht races whose local economic impact would be topped among sporting events by only the World Cup and the Olympics.
Among other contenders are Valencia, Spain, host of the most recent cup regatta and an undecided locale in Italy.
Mayor Gavin Newsom said early today he was "deeply honored and thrilled."
"We will do whatever it takes to bring this great race to San Francisco," Newsom said. "It is a testament to the unparalleled assets of our city that San Francisco is competing with nations to host the world's most renowned sailing race."The mayor and other city officials have been maneuvering for months to host the 159-year-old race after Ellison's team, sponsored by San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club, captured the cup in February. It was the first time an American team had won the cup in 18 years.
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I've said - for four decades - that this is where America's Cup deserves to be sailed! What an unmatched venue!
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