Their enmity goes back to the inglorious end of their strong Cup partnership in 2004, when Alinghi's Swiss racing team owner Ernesto Bertarelli and his star skipper Russell Coutts parted company after their first joint Cup triumph in 2003 and a subsequent dispute over money, power and the right way forward for the Cup. With a newly introduced nationality rule, Bertarelli also ensured that Coutts could only watch the subsequent 32nd America's Cup in 2007 from the sidelines. The five-time New Zealand Cup winner Coutts then moved to the camp of Larry Ellison's American team. Together, Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts and their team won the 33rd America's Cup in 2010 and the 34th America's Cup in 2013. Today, Coutts not only directs Ellison's Oracle Team USA, but also the organising team for the 35th America's Cup (ACEA) as Director.
Coutts has now responded to a verbal attack by Bertarelli published in the "New York Times". Bertarelli had accused the Americans: "I hope the world understands that if I don't take part and if Bertelli (Luna Rossa) pulls the plug and Team New Zealand stumbles, it will all happen because these people are not behaving like sportsmen. Sport is about setting rules, having an independent referee and being fair to each other."
Sir Russell Coutts commented on some of the issues raised in the New York Times. Commenting on Team New Zealand's fight for survival, the skipper, who won the America's Cup in 1995 and 2000 with his fellow New Zealanders before switching to the Swiss team Alinghi for the 32nd edition of the Cup after internal squabbles, said that he believed in a New Zealand successor team if Team New Zealand did not take part in the 35th America's Cup. Coutts said: "Others would put together a New Zealand team because, quite honestly, they have all the ingredients of a successful team. Under the new rules, more than ever before. They have a great sailing team and the rules favour great sailing teams."
Commenting on the withdrawal of the Italian Luna Rossa Challenge, Coutts said: "Ideally, there's no question about it, you'd like to keep Luna Rossa in the game. But we think we'll definitely see new teams coming in because of the boat change. And I can tell you that there will be a Japanese team coming in. If you meet the owner of that team, you'll want to debate whether they're bigger or smaller than Luna Rossa."
The fleet for the 35th America's Cup is still manageable: with the British team Ben Ainslie Racing, the French Team France, the Swedish Team Artemis and the shaky Team New Zealand, there are four challengers for the defender Oracle Team USA. However, the Cup defenders have repeatedly pointed out that they expect further entries as a result of the rule and territory changes and the associated cost reductions. Team New Zealand has now lodged an appeal with the America's Cup Court of Arbitration following the majority decision against Auckland as the original venue for the challenger round.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
