A heavy sea fog and one of the largest ships in the U.S. Navy brought America's Cup racing off San Diego to a grinding halt Saturday.
In one of the strangest postponements of the 144-year history of America's Cup competition, organizers stopped the countdown to the start of a race on the challenger course when the 94,000-ton, USS Abraham Lincoln made a surprise entry from a heavy sea fog onto the race course.The Abraham Lincoln, which had been involved in training exercises off San Clemente Island, was looking for a clearing in the fog to airlift passengers to San Diego.
Racing on the challenger course was in full swing as the ship approached, hidden from view inside the fog bank.
The first challenger match between France 3 and Team New Zealand had just begun. The two boats were involved in a neck-and-neck tacking duel on the first leg of the course.
OneAustralia and Japan's Nippon Challenge were beginning their pre-start maneuvers for the second race of the day when the huge ship appeared out of the fog in front of them. Sirens blasted, horns sounded, and the Abraham Lincoln came to a dead halt about 200 yards from the America's Cup yachts and a spectator fleet.