"Alinghi is ready for the 33rd America's Cup in Valencia in February 2010." On 10 November, this was the message on the website of the Société Nautique de Genève, the club of the Swiss Cup defender. But that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen.
In a letter to Judge Kornreich of the Supreme Court in New York, Alinghi confirmed via the Club Société Nautique de Genève that it would be organising a Deed of Gift Match in Valencia in February 2010. This was accompanied by the invitation to tender, which sets out the time frame from 1 to 25 February. So is everything in place for the showdown between the mega-multihulls of the two mega-egomaniacs Larry Ellison and Ernesto Bertarelli?
Not at all, because last week Alinghi, through its new law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, appealed to the New York court against the judge's decision of 30 October, which excluded the Emirate of Ras El Khaimah as the venue, and the measurement regulations which, according to the Swiss, favour the challenger BMW Oracle, whereby the length of the measured waterline is at issue.
Should Alinghi/SNG be successful with this manoeuvre, Ras El Khaimah would suddenly be first choice again and BMW Oracle could run into turbulence due to exceeding the maximum waterline of 90 feet (27 metres) stipulated in the foundation charter. In this case, the Americans are likely to lodge a counter-appeal, which could not only jeopardise the February date, but also the next Cup, which is planned for summer 2011. Insiders fear a delay until 2013 and hard times for professional sailors whose livelihood depends to a large extent on the Americas Cup.
Meanwhile, the two rivals are training at their home bases. BMW Oracle continues to test the wing mast in San Diego, while Alinghi is working on optimising the catamaran in Ras El Khaimah. Design coordinator Rolf Vrolijk confirmed to YACHT that the Swiss are not (yet) planning to relocate from sunny, warm Arabia to Spain. "Maybe we'll stay there forever ..."
