America's Cup: 20 years ago, Alinghi brought the silver jug to Europe for the first time
Tatjana Pokorny
· 02.03.2023
Two decades ago, Europe's sailing fans were able to watch live in the middle of the night as the Swiss team Alinghi made history by winning the 31st America's Cup in New Zealand. The historic victory united the nation and put the spotlight on a sport that had previously only had a relatively small number of fans. The enthusiasm was not only huge among the Swiss fans in Auckland. There were also celebrations at home. A few days after the first successful summit attempt by a team flying the European flag, 30,000 people celebrated the team in Geneva.
Bertarelli, Coutts, Butterworth and Schümann were the driving forces
As a passionate regatta sailor, initiator and racing stable owner, Ernesto Bertarelli had devised Team Alinghi and recruited a dream team that also included Germany's most successful Olympic sailor Jochen Schümann. With helmsman Russell Coutts and an outstanding crew, Team Alinghi prevailed against nine challengers and reached the 31st America's Cup duel. The 5:0 victory over Cup defender New Zealand put the final exclamation mark on an eventful campaign in an exciting Cup year.
Jochen Schümann: "The Cup is harder than you think. But it's even harder to win it"
"I remember the exact moment when I lifted the trophy over my head," Ernesto Bertarelli recalls the rousing scenes of jubilation after the commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron presented him with the silver jug. "It was a humbling moment," says Bertarelli, "I began to realise and appreciate what we had just achieved." Surrounded by his entire team, Bertarelli stretched the "Auld Mug", which had been held by so many high-calibre sailors before him, like a treasure in the sky above Auckland, before the others did the same. Jochen Schümann also remembers: "The Cup is harder than you think. But it's even harder to win it."
The success story was the catalyst for the "Alinghi generation". Young people enrolled in sailing schools all over the country. Some of them are now members of the current Alinghi Red Bull Racing Sailing Team. "I remember watching the last race of the match at the Société Nautique de Geneve with my friends," says Alinghi Red Bull Racing skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis. "I was 14 years old and that was the moment I decided to take part in the America's Cup with the Swiss America's Cup-winning team Alinghi."
15 Cup winners from the past are now back
This team spirit has remained. Just like the mixture of youth and experience. Even today, Alinghi Red Bull Racing's comeback in the America's Cup is fuelled by team members who were already there in 2003. This applies not only to Ernesto Bertarelli himself, but also to "the grey eminence" Brad Butterworth, Pierre-Yves Jorand, Michel Hodara, Juan Vila, Luc du Bois, Rodney Ardern, Jean-Marie Fragnière, João Cabeçadas, Simon Bovay, David Nikles, Narino Alessi, Christophe Lanz, Nils Frei and Yves Detrey.
Switzerland joined the exclusive group of countries that have won the America's Cup 20 years ago. To date, there are only three countries besides the Swiss: the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand. The team wants to continue its success story in a new formation as Alinghi Red Bull Racing 2024 off Barcelona. Other challengers are Ineos Britannia with Sir Ben Ainslie, Patrizio Bertelli's Italian team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, American Magic from the New York Yacht Club and the latest newcomer, the French team Orient Express with the Franco-German team manager Stéphan Kandler. Only one of the teams can win the right to challenge Emirates Team New Zealand to a duel in the 37th America's Cup.
And so, after a 12-year absence from the Cup, the newly formed Alinghi Red Bull Racing team made a comeback six months ago with "BoatZero" in Barcelona:
A personal review by Ernesto Bertarelli, Team Principal of Alinghi Red Bull Racing
"My relationship with America's Cup has not changed, my motivation remains unbroken today. I am confident about Alinghi Red Bull Racing's chances of going far in the upcoming competition. Of course I want us to repeat the success of 2003, because I see many similarities between the two campaigns: a new, ambitious team, strong values, excellent discipline and a high level of expertise. We know what we need to do to be as ready as we were 20 years ago to take on our competitors.
Alinghi's victory in New Zealand was a fantastic moment. I remember crossing the finish line like it was yesterday. I hugged my team-mates and then the other team members came onto the boat and it almost sank. We felt a very strong team spirit, camaraderie and fulfilment. We had goosebumps, a mixture of joy, tears and laughter. Then the arrival at the docks, where the team was waiting for us, that dip in the crowd, the audience that was completely on fire. That will remain one of the most formative events in my life.
Thanks to our victories (Ed: Alinghi successfully defended the America's Cup won in 2003 in 2007)and the young people of the'Generation Alinghi' we have very good sailors in Switzerland. In 2024, the third Youth America's Cup and the first Women's America's Cup, important factors for the development of our sport. I am convinced that we must continue to invest in the future of Swiss sailing and create a talent pool."
