Okay, I know it's gawd awful to have enjoyed this regatta because it's (ugh) Larry Ellison and it's a rich man's sport, and on and on.
But I live in the Bay Area, and see the bay almost daily (I commute over the Richmond-San Rafael bridge when I work in my office). My husband has sailed since he was a boy in Ireland. I have sailed on the bay, I have taken a ferry on the bay, I have taken my own little 18 foot ski boat from Alameda around Treasure Island twice (on a seriously flat day, even then I was nervous and my best friend was freaked out...we normally waterskied the Delta).
And we went to one race, took the ferry from Marin and it was great fun. It was another opportunity to love what is so great about SF. And the park was free, and you could see these big ass boats right up close.
And I know criticism about the catamarans and on and on. But again, and I defer to my husband's sailing xp to a great degree because he loves the sport and doesn't inject politics or policies into it, part of the whole reason for the America's Cup is to push the limits of what can be done with sails, hydraulics, wind power. So it's science-y in a big way. Those boats were incredible. And the Oracle boat won in the end because the science guys in the shed adjusted that boat and made it faster in the end.
And seriously, anyone watching on TV would have to admit, that was beautiful, the bay is a natural wonder. The City looked gorgeous. This is the first America's Cup held inland as well.
And then, seriously, the biggest comeback in the history of sport? The Giants had to win 7 straight to win the World Series last year? Team Oracle had to win 8 straight.
Okay, done. I liked it. It was fun. And it was historic. And it was the Bay Area, where I live.