The outcome of the lengthy litigation process in the New York Supreme Court regarding the right of challenge for the next America’s Cup seems to have dealt a double blow to Spain’s involvement in the event.
Having overturned the Spanish Desafio Espanol team’s right to be challenger of record earlier this year, the latest court rulings have established the date of February 8th 2010 for the start of the next Americas’ Cup. That is when the USA’s BMW Oracle team will now compete in a head to head, best of three, multi hull race series, with the Swiss defender Alinghi. That’s unless further litigation is triggered by the American’s delay in submitting the Customs House registration for the yacht they will challenge in, or in disputing the venue.
As we went to press there was still some uncertainty as to the type of multihull the Americans would enter, although they have been working with a trimaran, as opposed to the catamaran which Alinghi have developed utilising 100,000 man hours, and now fully sea trialed.
Despite this, exercising their defender’s right to choose the sailing location, and in order to find climatic conditions suitable for the 33rd Americas Cup match during the winter months, Alinghi have chosen Ras al-Khaimah in the UAE to host the event. This as opposed to returning to the Valencia America’s Cup base which was purpose built and used for the July 2007 final.
For more on recent developments towards the 33rd America's Cup please click for further pages below.
Alinghi, Defender of the 33rd America’s Cup, is proud to announce Hublot, the Swiss luxury watchmaker, as a team sponsor for the 33rd America’s Cup. Alinghi president Ernesto Bertarelli and Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver held a joint presentation at the Alinghi base in Genoa, Italy, this afternoon to announce this union of Swiss expertise. The two brands share many common values, be it their constant pursuit of precision and excellence, or their approach to technology – developing it to a maximum for greater performance.
“I am often asked ‘what is more important the technology or the people?’ and I always say that there is no technology without people and the partnership that we are announcing today symbolises exactly this sentiment. Welcoming Hublot – and more importantly Jean-Claude [Biver] – to the team as a Sponsor is a tribute to the fact that technology is about the people; those that understand what it means. I welcome them into the Alinghi family and onboard for the 33rd America’s Cup,” said Ernesto Bertarelli of the alliance.
Alinghi 5 docked out of its temporary base in Genoa, Italy, this afternoon for its first hours of saltwater sailing. Conditions for the first outing were ideal: a light southwesterly breeze and flat seas. “Today was the first day in saltwater for Alinghi 5 and even though conditions were light; everything was good. We are happy to be in Italy for this period of our training programme; it’s a place where everyone would like to live! We have received a great welcome from Genoa and huge support from the Amico yard and the Yacht Club Italiano and we look forward to some more sailing next Monday with a little more breeze,” said team skipper Brad Butterworth.
The 33rd America’s Cup Defender transported its giant catamaran, the first step in the development process towards the America’s Cup Match in February 2010, by helicopter from its base on Lake Geneva to the north Mediterranean port on 7 August. Training will continue in Genoa before the boat is transported to the 33rd America’s Cup Venue in Ras al-Khaimah, UAE.
The defending yacht club, the SNG, responds to a letter from the GGYC dated 6 August 2009. "The Court's Order regarding venue is clear: SNG had the right to designate either Valencia or "any other location" for the 33rd Cup. There is no Hemisphere restriction. Moreover, you are simply incorrect in suggesting that the waters adjacent to Ras al-Khaimah are not "ocean courses, free of headlands". The course area SNG has
identified by both longitude and latitude coordinates and shown on an accompanying chart does not have any headlands or any other lands within the area described for racing. The Persian Gulf is part of the Indian Ocean..."
Statement from the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) following today's hearing regarding the timing of delivery of Golden Gate Yacht Club’s (GGYC) Custom’s House Registry for their challenging vessel for the 33rd America’s Cup:
"We are pleased that after almost two years of withholding the information, counsel for the GGYC disclosed in Court today that the boat BMW Oracle has been sailing for almost a year is USA, their America’s Cup challenging vessel. USA must match the dimensions listed in GGYC's Certificate of Challenge. While the judge reserved her ruling on when the GGYC must issue the Custom’s House Registry, we are confident that the Court will uphold the Deed of Gift. We are pleased to have a further degree of certainty regarding the GGYC boat and we look forward to the 33rd America’s Cup in February 2010 in Ras al-Khaimah,” said Lucien Masmejan, lead counsel for the SNG. “As we told the Court, our goal is to have an exciting race on the water and we are willing to assist the Challenger with any queries it has with regards the measurement procedures so that we and GGYC can be sure USA matches the dimensions in the Certificate of Challenge. We want to get the America’s Cup back to the water and out of the court,” he added.