BMW Oracle Racing today announced a USA Yacht Club Tour that will take the only American Challenger for the America’s Cup to eight of the leading yacht clubs in the United States in October and November.

The US team will start the tour on 24 October at the New York Yacht Club in New York City and then head to the Annapolis Yacht Club in Annapolis, MD, on 27 October. The Team then heads to its Challenging yacht club, Golden Gate in San Francisco on October 28. The team will also visit St Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco on 2 November; Long Beach Yacht Club, Long Beach, CA, on 3 November ; California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey on 4 November; Seattle Yacht Club, Seattle WA, on 7 November; and conclude the Tour on 13 November at San Diego Yacht Club.

Chris Dickson, BMW Oracle Racing CEO and skipper commented: “With the America’s Cup Class racing all taking place in Europe, we felt as the only US Challenger for the Cup that it is important to visit sailors in America to keep them up to date on the competition and to engage their interest as we build toward the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007 in Valencia, Spain. America remains the spiritual home of the America’s Cup so we want to do our part in keeping the spirit alive.”

At each club, the team will present video highlights of its 2005 racing season, provide members with an insider’s update on the campaign, and bring members of the team’s management, design and sailing team to provide personal insights into the team that is trying to bring the Cup back for America. At most of the clubs, team specialty items such as 18th man spots on board the race boat during 2006 training in Valencia, Spain, as well as unique high-quality items from the team’s partners and sponsors, will be auctioned to support each club’s junior programme or other club-designated charity.

At the first stop on the Tour, Dickson will address NYYC members at the historic clubhouse of the longtime America’s Cup Defender. BMW Oracle Racing then visits Annapolis Yacht Club where team members from locally-based Farr Yacht Design and sailing team member Jamie Gale will be featured.

Then the team heads to the West Coast where it visits its home yacht club, Golden Gate. Afterguard member and Californian Eric Doyle will headline at Golden Gate. At neighboring St Francis Yacht Club, Ian Burns, BMW Oracle Racing Design Team Coordinator, will be featured guest. Burns will also headline at Long Beach Yacht Club and the California Yacht Club.

Seattle is a special stop as many of the team’s boatbuilding and design team will be in Seattle as the team gears up for building its first race boat in nearby Anacortes. Boat Construction Manager Mark Turner will join team CEO Dickson and team Design Coordinator Burns in Seattle.

Hometown sailing hero Peter Isler and BMW Oracle Racing navigator will headline at another former home of the America’s Cup, San Diego Yacht Club. At many of the locations, the team will be joined by special guest Gary Jobson, America’s Cup winner and US sailing television analyst. BMW Oracle Racing’s Tom Ehman will serve as moderator of the team presentations.