Kicking off what’s being hailed by some as the “best America’s Cup ever,” TAG Heuer—the pioneering Swiss watch brand and sponsor of defending champion Oracle Team USA—hosted a VIP weekend September 6 in San Francisco for the opening of the 34th world series finals.
Worldwide President and CEO of TAG Heuer, Stephane Linder, set the pace for the sporting three-day adventure on The Bay, which began with dinner at James Beard Award-winning chef Corey Lee’s Michelin Star restaurant Benu on Friday night.
Prior to boarding TAG’s private yacht the following day for a floating front-row view of Saturday afternoon’s first set of races, Linder’s guests toured the Oracle Team USA base, seeing just how each boat works, from the intense tracking technology—which even included the crew member’s extreme-tech digital chronograph, the TAG Heuer AquaRacer 72, co-developed by the engineers at Oracle Team USA—to the on-site couture construction of each sail in a specially built “atelier” (or warehouse).
After the team’s fourth race win that Sunday, TAG’s yacht docked at the Oracle Team Innovations Lounge to meet and congratulate the team and skipper Jimmy Spithill on their adrenaline charged success. Later that night, Linder hosted a farewell dinner at Rich Table—one of Bon Appetit’s “10 Best New Restaurants in America” nominees—to toast the future success of the defending chamption.
The first two days on the water saw competitors Team New Zealand hold the advantage, but Oracle Team USA has remained stiff competition through the 10th race, which took place on September 15.
Races can potentially continue through September 22, as it takes nine victories to win the America’s Cup.
