To the disappointment of fans, sponsors, team members, shore staffs and family, Oracle Team USA did not repeat the greatest comeback in sports history on Monday as they did in San Francisco in 2013 and was unable to defend it's title at the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda. Emirates Team New Zealand claimed the America's Cup, the oldest trophy in international sport by 7-1 lead.

Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill sincerely congratulated Team New Zealand for their speed and a near-flawless sailing, adding, "You guys have been a class above everyone and we take our hats off to you." Team founder Larry Ellison gave a gracious talk to the team after the hard fought defeat, saying, "I am very proud to be a part of this team. We gave it everything. When you compete against the very best in the world, you aren't going to win every time. We did it in Valencia in 2010 and in San Francisco in 2013. But this was New Zealand's time and we congratulate them for a great win."

I was invited to watch Monday's race at Oracle Team base with the Family and Friends. There were about 150 wives, children,  parents, siblings and close friends of the team members with hopes of the team pulling off today's Match Point. I witnessed the big cheers and good wishes at the dock-out sent off, the nerve wrecking 25 minutes everyone huddled around the TVs watching the Race 9 until the return of the team after the race with lots of hugs and some tears. I also stayed to watch the Oracle Team USA boat got hosed down, lifted to shore, disassembled and stored away in Oracle's two giant airplane hanger size facilities, with a great sadness not knowing whether I will ever again seeing Oracle Team USA competing in America's Cup in the future. There is no indication yet whether Larry Ellison will continue the team, nor Jimmy Spithill was sure about his future.

For now everyone is trying to sink in and see what went wrong that cost Team Oracle the Cup. One of the speculations was the new cycle grinding innovation that Team New Zealand have installed in their boat. This extraordinary development was a "secrect weapon" under the wrap only unveiled last month. The system operates foils to bring faster flying speed to the boat.

26/06/2017 - Bermuda (BDA) - 35th America's Cup 2017 - 35th America's Cup Match Presented by Louis Vuitton - © ACEA 2017 / Photo Ricardo Pinto

Team New Zealand helmsman, 26 year old Peter Burling was blown away by bringing the America's Cup back home to New Zealand, saying, "To be able to win this event at such a young age is an unreal feeling. However, I am just a tiny part of a massive team and it's incredible to be able to reward the hard work of those hundreds of people who have supported us, not only here in Bermuda but back home in New Zealand as well."

Skipper Glenn Ashby said, "What happened in 2013 was a brutal experience for our team. To be able to come back 4 years later to pull off an unbelievable victory has really redeemed that situation for New Zealand and it feels like justice has prevailed." The team had a debrief after losing the cup to Team Oracle from 8-1 to 8-9 and came up with 20 points that they needed to change, new technology and younger sailors were among the changes. The changes are now proven to be successful. I was most impressed by Peter Burling, he was as serene and relaxed as at a Sunday picnic while flying the Team New Zealand boat at high speed against Team Oracle when every second counts. I bet millions watching America's Cup on TV wished they had a amazing son like him. I sure did.

Olivia Hsu Decker is the exclusive agent representing the Belvedere/Tiburon, San Francisco real estate market as a member of the Haute Residence Real Estate Network. View all of her listings here.

Images courtesy of Olivia Hsu Decker and  America's Cup Event Authority Media Center (Ricardo Pinto and Sam Greenfield)

The post Olivia Hsu Decker: Emirates Team New Zealand Defeated Oracle Team USA at the 35th America’s Cup in a Sweet Revenge appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

On a gorgeous Sunday at Bermuda's Great Sound, America's Cup defender Oracle Team USA suffered a major defeat losing both Races 7 and 8 to Emirates Team New Zealand, giving the Kiwis a 6-1 lead and the match point on Monday. Unlike the 34th America's Cup in San Francisco in 2013, the rule has changed to the team scores more wins in 13 races wins the cup vs the 17 races. Team USA needs to win the next 6 races in order to defend the Cup while Team New Zealand only needs to win one more race.

However, don't count them out yet, at post race press conference, Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill was confident about repeating his amazing come-back from 1-8 to 9-8 to win the Cup in San Francisco. He admitted a few mistakes were made and praised Team New Zealand's young skipper, Peter Burling and the team's performance. Burling, a cool and calm 26 years old Olympic gold medal skipper told the press he is not taking the wining for granted, mindful of the Team USA winning races from far behind can likely happen.

Peter Burling and Jimmy Spithill at post race press conference.

Oracle Team USA has made changes last week on the boat to improve the speed and it showed on Race 6 on Saturday when they beat Team New Zealand. The losses on Sunday due to unexpected mistakes including the slow start and a penalty when the boat went out of race course boundary. It prompted the reporter from TV New Zealand to question Spithill the reliability of the Oracle software that boasts 1,000 sensors per boat and 40,000 data points per second. Spithill denied any software problem. I was seated next to Jimmy's father Arthur Spithill at the press conference, he shared his son's confidence that the team will win from behind. All attentions are on Monday's Match Point. Stay tuned!

17/06/24 - Hamilton (BDA) - 35th America's Cup Bermuda 2017 - ORACLE TEAM USA

Peter Burling and Jimmy Spithill at post race press conference 1

Arthur Spithill and Olivia Decker.

A confident Jimmy Spithill.

25/06/2017 - Bermuda (BDA) - 35th America's Cup Match presented by Louis Vuitton, Day 4 © ACEA 2017 / Photo Gilles Martin-Raget

Olivia Hsu Decker is the exclusive agent representing the Belvedere/Tiburon, San Francisco real estate market as a member of the Haute Residence Real Estate Network. View all of her listings here.

Images courtesy of Olivia Hsu Decker and ACEA 2017

The post Olivia Hsu Decker Shares the Latest from the 35th America’s Cup Match Point appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Most spectacular performance award definitely goes to Oracle Team Spithill. It capsized at the start of the First Fleet Race on Saturday and was forced out of the race ( watch this video of how they overcame a spectacular capsize ). An hour later, the team came back to win the second place at the Second Fleet Race and won the Match Racing Championship over Team New Zealand by 18 seconds, despite of damaged frames in the wingsail during the capsizing. Then the team went on to win the final Fleet Match on Sunday to become winner of the America’s Cup World Series San Francisco Championship for the second time.

Skipper Jimmy Spithill and crew Dirk de Ridder, John Kostecki, Jono MacBeth and Joe Newton were amazingly resilient, and the supporting staff were efficiently quick to pull the boat up-right and rescued a crew member fell off the boat from the Bay. Miraculously, several other boats were just yards away and none collided with the capsized Team Spithill.

The final score for the week is Spithill and JP Morgan Ben Ainslie Racing tied for 79 points. Armed with a newly earned Olympic sailing gold medal in London, Ainslie is the newest team joined America's Cup race. It didn’t take him much practice to get to the top. Spithill won the championship based on the final race finishes.

“We’ve always said we need to be able to come from behind and overcome adversity,” said Spithill, who skippered the team to victory in the 2010 America’s Cup in Valencia. “I thought I gave them that yesterday with the capsize, but it's really a sign of a strong team. The shore crew, our coaches, it's been a fantastic team effort.”

Artemis Racing – White (Terry Hutchinson) finished third overall. Emirates Team New Zealand (Dean Barker) placed fourth overall and Oracle Team USA Coutts fifth.

This concluded the last World Series in San Francisco. The America's Cup returns to San Francisco July 4- September 1, 2013 with the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Series and the September 7-22 America's Cup Finals. For information, go to www.AmericasCup.com

"Special thanks to Laurent du Roure for tour of AC-72 at Oracle Team USA Pier 80 facility and Oracle Innovation Lounge; Christine Belanger for the Louis Vuitton mark boat and Omega/Team New Zealand for the chase boat and hang out at the team base. Seth Semilof and I appreciate your invitation and gracious hospitality. And a huge thank you to Jimmy Spithill for the inspiration to overcome adversity!"

Photos courtesy of ACEA/Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget; Olivia Hsu Decker; and Cindy Shelton.

The post America’s Cup World Series San Francisco — Round Two appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Monaco again hosted this magnificent world class annual yacht show for the yacht owners and their representatives, savvy brokers, top yacht designers, finest ship-builders, yacht financiers, and their highest net worth clients together over the four days of intensive meetings and touring the most spectacular superyachts on display at Port Hercules.

Buyers visited some of the most exclusive yachts ever showcased by top brokers Fraser Yachts, Edminston, Burgess, Camper- Nicholsons and Ocean Independence, just to name a few. Some of the most outstanding superyachts on display included the new 74-meter Nobiskrug built Mogambo, which is the first sailing yacht ever developed to comply with RINA Green Star class; Rupert Murdoch's 67.2 meter ketch Vertigo built by Alloy Yachts and designed by Philippe Briand and Christian Liagre complete with a special garage in the transom for an 8m limousine in the teak fore-deck; Jim Clark's 90-meter Athena built by Royal Huisman, which is the largest sailing yacht in the world; and the newest, fanciest 67.15 meter "Shadow boat" Garcon (appropriately named with French word for waiter) that carries all your sea going toys, helicopter, massage therapist, bodyguards, DJ and a shuttle 6.2 rescue tender.

Buying a superyacht is one of the ultimate luxury lifestyle items, even though it doesn't make any financial sense. But it gives you pride of ownership and a sense of satisfaction. I did some "shopping" at the show and below is my list of "best buys" in a variety of sizes and price ranges:

Living room of 50 meter Satori

Satori, built in 2011 by Heesen, the 50-meter Satori can go maximum of 25 knots by V16 MTU diesel engines and providing an economic cruising speed of 14 knots giving a range of 3200 Nautical miles. With sleek exterior design and elegant contemporary interior with the rare used bleached hardwood floors, Satori offers abundance of spaces for up to 12 guests. A large round dining table plus numerous other spaces for relaxing and entertaining, with well appointed master cabin and guests cabins, Satori, for sale at $40 million won my vote as the best yacht deal at the show.

Jim Clark’s 90 meter sailing yacht Athena

Athena, the 90 meter 3-masted schooner built in 2004 by Dutch yacht builder Royal Huisman for Netscape founder Jim Clark. The largest sailing yacht in the world, Athena is sleek, elegant and yet powerful and spacious like a motor yacht. With every superyacht amenities you could think of, Athena's 2 lifts to the top of mast is uniquely rare to find in other yachts. I rode it to the top of mast 58 meters above water just when the Monaco Yacht Show officially ended at 6pm Saturday when all yachts in the harbor sounded their horns. The sights and sound were amazing. For sale at $95 million, it is not the best deal, but if you are looking to buy the world's largest sailing yacht, this is the one for you!

The master bedroom on Were Dreams.

Were Dreams. Built by Amels, Holland and interior designed by Laura Sessa Romboli. I was very impressed with the richness of the honey colored maple wood interior and the restrained use of marble/stone in bathrooms, the classy, warm and relaxing style. Although built in 2008, the condition is perfectly spotless. At 29.95 million Euros asking price, the 52.3 meter Were Dreams is an amazing deal.

Smeralda is the brand new 77 meters eco superyacht designed by Espen Oino and built by Hanseatic Marine, part of the Silver Group of companies, debuted at Monaco Yacht Show. Sleek and stunning, this new generation eco superyacht combines fuel efficiency with speed and style. Conceived for long range cruising, Smeralda delivers top speeds of over 27 knots. Unique features include a glass-fronted 8 person Jacuzzi, a sumptuously spacious saloon and beach club with spa/sauna/gym and a helicopter pad. Presented by Burgess Yachts, Smeralda is for sale at 66 million Euros.

The gym on Galaxy

Galaxy, This versatile 56-meter Benetti yacht built in 2005, offers an unique split-level owner's suite with beautiful woodwork, an expansive sundeck complete with gym and luxurious accommodation for up to 14 guests. Key features of Galaxy include Quantum Zero speed stabilisers, lift serving all guest decks, fully equipped gym, touch and go heli capability and an over-sized Jacuzzi spa/tub on deck. It was repainted and minor refitted in 2012. Offered for sale for the first time at 28 million Euros. At half million per meter, this is a very good buy.

The after show parties are interesting and fun. I have been in the usual Boat International's party at the Hermitage and the parties at Monaco Yacht Club a few times before, this year I opted for the different parties—the Rolls Royce white party and the Riva party on dock-side with Vhernier jewelry show. My dinners at Buddha Bar, the new Monte Carlo Cipriani, the chic Avenue 31 and Horizon, the top floor terrace restaurant at Fairmont were all outstanding. And the weather is a perfect Fall sunny 24-27C degrees with clear blue sea/sky. A magnificent four days in Monaco!

Photos by Elaine Foo and Olivia Hsu Decker

The post Olivia Hsu Decker at the Monaco Yacht Show appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.