Some 200-plus of the who’s who of the America’s Cup gathered at the De Young Museum at Golden Gate Park to honor this year’s inductees for the Cup Hall of Fame.

Established in 1992, the America’s Cup Hall of Fame celebrates and recognizes the achievements of individuals within the sport of sailing and in particular the America’s Cup competition.  On a regular basis, several personalities are identified by the Hall of Fame Selection Committee to be inducted.

The first person to be inducted this year is an American woman, Lucy Jewett, who has been active in the America’s Cup almost continuously since 1974. She is the second woman to enter the Hall of Fame.

The next of the three 2013 inductions is made posthumously to Australian Noel Robins, who was active over the period spanning 1977 through 1987 initially as a sailor and lastly as an organizer. The final inductee is fellow Australian Grant Simmer, who has won the America’s Cup three times over 30 years.

The black-tie affair hosted by Louis Vuitton was attended by members of the teams currently competing for the Louis Vuitton Cup as well as of America’s Cup Defender ORACLE TEAM USA. The semi-finals for the Louis Vuitton Cup, the Challenger Selection Series for the America’s Cup, begin August 6th on San Francisco Bay where Artemis Racing and Luna Rossa Challenge go head-to-head

The America’s Cup Hall of Fame for me is more about who is left out rather than who is included. Everyone who participates in the America’s Cup makes a contribution that moves the sport forward.

A prime example is Gerry Driscoll. His participation in the cup spanned several decades.  Never made it to the “final dance”, by that I mean he never was a defending skipper. His contributions were genuine and made the cup racing better, in the 12 meter era.

Ken Read, Gary Jobson and others are all in San Francisco as the Cup season gathers momentum.