BMW ORACLE Racing Captures UBS Trophy

Munich/Newport. After a week of intense head-to-head match racing in
powerful America's Cup Class yachts, the UBS Trophy regatta came down
to two races today: one for the Pro-Driver Series between BMW ORACLE
Racing and Team Alinghi and the other for the Owner-Driver contest
between Larry Ellison and Ernesto Bertarelli. BMW ORACLE Racing
dominated both races, finishing the Pro-Driver Series with a final
score of 16-6 and the Owner-Driver Series 4-2. BMW ORACLE Racing won 7
of the 11 Pro-Driver races in the series and 3 of 4 Owner-Driver races.
"Everything we'd done all week didn't matter today," said BMW
ORACLE Racing skipper and CEO Chris Dickson. "We know to beat
Alinghi we have to be at our best. Fortunately, we were at our best
today. I'm very proud of our team." BMW ORACLE Racing came into the
day leading the Pro-Driver Series 9-6 and tied 2-2 in the Owner-Driver
Series. Superior tactics and smooth teamwork propelled BMW ORACLE
Racing to wins in both categories. "This was just like San
Francisco," said BMW ORACLE Racing team owner Larry Ellison.
"The teams were pretty evenly matched. It came down to the last
race on the last day. We had to stay focused and sail the best we could
sail." With winds on Narragansett Bay light in morning fog, the
race committee postponed the start of the Pro-Driver race. But when the
starting sequence began, BMW ORACLE Racing used its win in the coin
toss last night to its advantage entering the starting box from
starboard. They forced Alinghi very tight on the pin end of the start
line and tacked away toward the middle of the bay. With a fortunate
wind shift, helmsman Gavin Brady and BMW ORACLE Racing quickly picked
up 3-boatlength lead, which held through the race. Hundreds of
spectators at Newport's historic Fort Adams and along the shore, and
hundreds more spectator boats watched the action. When the finish gun
sounded, BMW ORACLE Racing had a commanding lead of 1 minute, 4 seconds.
In the Owner-Driver race, Team Alinghi won the start by 12 seconds, but
BMW ORACLE Racing quickly made up the time. Alinghi again headed off
toward Fort Adams on the eastern shore believing the wind would shift
left. But when they tacked over toward BMW ORACLE Racing, which was on
starboard tack, it was clear they would not be able to cross. As
Alinghi tacked away, BMW ORACLE Racing took the lead and rounded the
mark first. By the time the yachts rounded the last mark and turned
toward home, BMW ORACLE Racing had opened up a 5-boatlength lead. At
the final gun, BMW ORACLE Racing had secured a 29 second lead. The
yacht dropped her spinnaker to the roar of horns from the spectator
fleet. BMW ORACLE Racing now moves on to Europe and the Louis Vuitton
Cup Acts that kick off in September in Marseille, France. For
questions please contact: Corporate Communications BMW Group Africa
and Caribbean Region Jean-Michel Juchet General Manager Marketing and
Public Relations Phone: +49/89/382-21248, Fax: +49/89/382-26844 Email:
Jean-Michel.JA.Juchet@bmw.de Media Website: www.bmworacleracing.com
e-mail: presse@bmw.de