World Cup exhibition race in SF Bay ends predictably, with our boat upside-down and sinking

Gilligan! Having lived nearabout San Francisco Bay for most of my life, I can tell you that it can be deceivingly treacherous, and it also has a sense of humor. That’s why when millionaire owners brought out their yachts for an America’s Cup promotional race on Monday, it was inevitable that at least one of them would capsize, with hapless deck hands hanging from the rigging. Ah! These pleated yachting slacks are worth nine hundred bucks! (Cue Celine Dion song).

What a tragedy. I’m not sure my heart can go on.

Pictured is the Oracle Racing AC45 catamaran as it is capsizing during the exhibition race on Monday to promote the 34th Annual America’s Cup. That race will be held in 2013, for some reason in San Francisco. Because it’s fun to watch yachts being blown into Alcatraz.

Defending America’s crown will be billionaire Thurston Howell III Larry Ellison, co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation and primary backer of Oracle BMW Racing, sailing under the flag of the San Francisco Yacht Club. I’ve been to one of these exhibitions and I have to say there’s not much point to watching it from shore. In fact, unless you’re a participant or a tuna, there’s not much point in being there at all. Except that there’s free booze.

By the way, the BMW in the title of Oracle BMW Racing is for the German auto manufacturer, which has a big financial stake in Ellison’s team. And the CEO and skipper of Oracle Racing, Russell Coutts, is from New Zealand. Um, Go USA?

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Coutts capsizes America’s Cup cat on SF Bay [San Francisco Chronicle]