America's Cup: "The Cup would be in good hands in Europe," says Russell Coutts

As before, no expert dares to speculate on the outcome of the America's Cup. However, the skipper of the Swiss challenger yacht Alinghi, Russell Coutts, assumes that the number of participants will double if the "jug" comes to Europe.

That is, if he and his crew win the grand final. "Maybe then we'll see 20 syndicates competing for the trophy instead of ten."

The team's design coordinator, sailmaker Grant Simmer from Australia (an old warhorse in the Cup business), also speculated cautiously, describing the design of the defending Team New Zealand as "quite radical".

He was referring not only to the controversial lengthening hull appendage nicknamed "Hula". But also the almost seven metre long ballast bomb at the lower end of the keel.
He commented judgementally: "When we saw this bomb, we were sure that it would not be used in the Cup."

Skipper Russell Coutts, however, dismissed the discussion about the legality of the "Hula" hull appendage. He said it was unlikely that the Swiss Alinghi team would protest against the annex. "We probably won't get enough information together to justify this step." The boat measurers are the only ones who know enough to decide on the legality of the attachment. And the world's most successful Cup skipper trusts their judgement.