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America's Cup racing fans gather for big showdown America's Cup racing fans are gathering along the bay in droves for what promises to be one of history's most exciting finishes in sports. Team Oracle USA is on the verge of achieving the ultimate comeback.
Sailing fans started lining up Wednesday morning a couple of hours before the gates even opened, many of them tell us they are playing hooky from work and school to be here.
"Today's the day," San Francisco resident Mary Oleszek said. "I mean, it's winner take all today, so if we're gonna skip school today's the day. But she does have a cold!"
Sacramento resident Cindi Pettit added, "This is the day we've been waiting for, we've been coming to the races since last summer, we've been here about nine times or so."
"This is the day the America's Cup stays in America, if Oracle Team USA wins, or it goes to New Zealand if Emirates Team New Zealand wins." America's Cup spokesperson Tim Jeffrey
This unlikely showdown is just adding to the enthusiasm of this final race. Oracle Team USA was not supposed to be a contender. At one point the team trailed New Zealand 8-1. But now the score is tied at eight all, making this more than just a race to some fans.
"Watching Oracle fight back the way they have, I think it's just been an inspiration to us all and um, you know sometimes it's easy to just give up and he showed us that you shouldn't do that," Pettit said.
Margaret Levine is so inspired by the America's Cup she has started taking sailing lessons and now understands what the teams are up against.
"They have to keep running around and stuff, it's hard," she said. "They have to know the course, the only markers are for finish line and start."
She and her mom are predicting a big win for the USA.
"I think Oracle's got the advantage because the momentum is their way something happened to New Zealand and they made some mistakes yesterday I think they're choking," Oleszek said.
It's all come down to this -- about 20 minutes, 11 guys on each boat, it all starts at 1:15.
Organizers point out this is the first America's Cup to take place right on city shores where you can get an up close view of it. They say usually you have to take a boat out to the race course.
