The America’s Cup Comes to San Francisco

The 34th America’s Cup races will be held in San Francisco Bay for over 40 days beginning in July 2013.   San Francisco was selected at the end of 2010 to hold the race.  The America’s Cup is the most celebrated trophy in world sailing and is the oldest trophy in international sports.

The America’s Cup is currently held by the United States.  Larry Eliason, the founder of Oracle, is the head of America’s team.  When the race is held in 2013, it will be the first time in 13 years that the America’s Cup has been held in the United States.

The challenger for the race will be determined by a series of races that begin on July 13, 2013.  The team that wins that competition is the recipient of the Louis Vuitton Cup. 

Following the awarding of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the actual race for the America’s Cup will begin, featuring the winner of that Louis Vuitton Cup against the United States team.  Those races will begin on September 7th and will be completed by September 22nd.

The races will take place in the prime portion of San Francisco Bay, with great views along the downtown waterfront with Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge serving as spectacular backdrop for the competition. 

This is a great event for San Francisco and Northern California.  It will bring thousands of tourists throughout the summer. City officials are projecting nearly 200,000 visitors a day during some of the races, so San Francisco will be busier than ever during the summer of 2013.

If you are planning to come to San Francisco during the summer of 2013 during the races, be sure to book your hotel stay as soon as possible.  And, remember that the Napa Valley is just a short 90-minute drive from the Golden Gate Bridge, which serves as the backdrop for the America’s Cup races on San Francisco Bay.  If you want to getaway during the races, Golden Haven would love to welcome you.