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2010 -- S 2503 | |
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LC01947 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2010 | |
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N | |
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CONGRATULATING ORACLE CEO LARRY ELLISON AND THE BMW ORACLE | |
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RACING TEAM ON WINNING THE 33RD AMERICA’S CUP COMPETITION | |
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Introduced By: Senators Paiva-Weed, Connors, Felag, C Levesque, and DiPalma | |
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Date Introduced: February 24, 2010 | |
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Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration | |
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WHEREAS, The Royal Yacht Squadron Cup was founded in 1851 and holds the |
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distinction of being the oldest active trophy in international sports. It became known as the |
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America’s Cup after the schooner “America” became the first yacht to win the competition; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1957, the trophy was donated to the New York Yacht Club, located in |
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Newport, Rhode Island, where it remained until 1983, when the Royal Perth Yacht Club’s |
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“Australia II” took the title, ending the longest winning streak in the history of the sport and |
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moving the America’s Cup Regatta from Rhode Island’s beautiful “City by the Sea”; and |
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WHEREAS, On Sunday, February 14th, 2010, racing against “Alinghi,” the sailing |
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syndicate BMW Oracle, under the leadership of team owner Larry Ellison, won its second |
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consecutive challenge and successfully returned the America’s Cup trophy to the United States; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Ellison is the founder of Oracle Racing and a five-time Maxi World |
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Champion with the Sayonara racing program. He was a Louis Vuitton Cup finalist in 2003 with |
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Oracle BMW Racing, and he won the Owner Driver Series of the Moet Cup in 2003 and the UBS |
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Trophy in 2004; and |
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WHEREAS, The first race was a simple upwind-downwind loop totaling 40 miles, while |
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race two was 39 miles long and around an equilateral triangular course, comprised of a 13 mile |
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beat and two 13 mile reaches. The two giant multihulls reached speeds in excess of 25 knots in |
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roughly 10 knot winds; and |
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WHEREAS, Comprised of many of the preeminent sailors in the world, the BMW |
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Oracle’s Racing Team energetically captured the America’s Cup and returned to America for a |
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well-earned “Victory Tour”; and |
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WHEREAS, The Rhode Island state quarter features the sailboat Reliance, the yacht |
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built at the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. in Bristol, Rhode Island, that successfully defended the |
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America’s Cup trophy in 1903; and |
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WHEREAS, As the sailing capital of the United States, Newport has a history rooted in |
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the marine trades. Newport is home to the America’s Cup Hall of Fame and the renowned |
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International Yacht Restoration School. The waters of Newport and Rhode Island Sound provide |
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excellent sailing conditions, and the City hosts some of the most prestigious sailing events in the |
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world; and |
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WHEREAS, As the host city for 12 of the 33 America’s Cup races, Newport has |
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demonstrated its numerous infrastructure advantages. The City’s accommodations are world |
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class, and its beauty is second to none; and |
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WHEREAS, The residents of Newport and citizens throughout Rhode Island are |
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exceptionally steeped in the State’s vibrant maritime tradition and appreciate the historic |
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significance of Newport in the tradition of America’s Cup racing. Newport is home to the longest |
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winning streak in the history of the sport; now, therefore be it |
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RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
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hereby heartily congratulates Larry Ellison and the BMW Oracle racing team on winning the 33rd |
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America’s Cup Challenge; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby urges Oracle CEO Larry Ellison to confer the |
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prestigious honor of hosting the 34th America’s Cup Challenge to the jewel in our Ocean State’s |
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crown, the City of Newport. We furthermore warmly welcome and congratulate Mr. Ellison on |
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the recent purchase of the famed Astors’ Beechwood Mansion in Newport; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to |
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Larry Ellison, Oracle CEO. |
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LC01947 | |
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