The first race in the 33rd America's Cup has been completed and the question of all questions has been answered: Will one of the futuristic multihulls beat the other? Yes! The "USA" sailed as if from another planet and shocked the Swiss competition. The reactions were mixed...
"The solution chosen by Oracle is very fast. It's pretty hard to beat them on a day like today. But as long as we still have a life, we have a chance."
Brad Butterworth, skipper on "Alinghi 5"
"It's my first day in an Americas Cup. It's a great day."
Larry Ellison, Owner BMW Oracle Racing
"BMW Oracle destroys Alinghi"
Daily Telegraph, Great Britain
"We have to recognise without envy that BMW Oracle has a powerful weapon with its wing mast."
Ernesto Bertarelli, helmsman Alinghi
"BMW Oracle's wing sail is light years ahead of Alinghi's conventional sails."
Pierre Orphanidis, sailing blog Valencia Sailing
"In terms of pressure and boat speed, it was one of the toughest days I've ever spent on a boat. But all in all it was a good day."
James Spithill, helmsman "USA"
"We didn't expect them to get so much potential out of the wing. It won't be easy to match them. But we will go through our data and work. We'll see on Sunday whether we can be competitive."
Rolf Vrolijk, Chief Designer Alinghi
"I had already predicted 2:0 before the match. In favour of one of the two teams. The result may not have gone my way, but it was as predicted. There will be a few heads hanging low in Team Alinghi today that they were beaten like that in their favourite discipline on multihulls. The Americans obviously have ten per cent more horsepower to offer."
Jochen Schümann, former Sports Director Alinghi
"San Francisco may not be ready for the Americas Cup, but if there's no more disaster, it will get there."
Washington Post, USA
"BMW Oracle sails around Alinghi's ears"
Tages-Anzeiger, Switzerland
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
