Readying for return to the water in Valencia (Spain).
The 33rd edition of the America’s Cup after two years of trials in the Supreme Court of New York, will be held in Valencia. This was agreed Wednesday evening by the representants of Alinghi Ernesto Bertarelli and Rita Barbera (Valencia Mayor).
The deal needs the signature, the competitions will be a duel between Alinghi the Defender, and BMW Oracle Challenger are staged on the waters of Valencia in the next February 2010.
The duel will begin on February 8 , 2010 and will be for the best of three races.
The New York Supreme Court today ruled that the 33rd America’s Cup, scheduled in February 2010, must take place in a venue in the Southern Hemisphere as per the strict reading of the competition’s governing document, the Deed of Gift, or in Valencia, Spain, as the only exception to that rule.
“This is a disappointing result as we were certain that Justice Cahn’s May 2008 decision allowed the Defender to chose Valencia or ‘any other location’,” said Lucien Masmejan, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) legal counsel. “Ras Al Khaimah has put enormous time and effort into this 33rd America’s Cup project. We thank them and feel sorry for this unexpected result out of the New York court”.
“We are satisfied, however, as Justice Kornreich confirmed that the Deed of Gift Match will be conducted under SNG rules as she had already ruled in a previous court order,” added Lucien Masmejan.
The Defender of the 33rd America’s Cup set sail today for the start of AC training in Emirati waters.
Photos: Guido Trombetta / Alinghi
Alinghi, the 33rd America’s Cup Defender, cast off from the America’s Cup Island of Al Hamra this morning and set sail for its first training day in Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.
“The conditions are ideal here for these boats,” said Brad Butterworth, Alinghi team skipper, “exactly the building sea breeze that we hoped for which means we can sail as much as six days a week; it couldn’t be better for what we are trying to achieve.” The giant catamaran Alinghi 5 arrived in the Emirates from Europe on 30 September after a 12 day, 4,400nm voyage and since then the team has relocated, reassembled the boat and prepared it for the four-month training session ahead of the first race of the 33rd America’s Cup in February 2010.
“I would like to thank Ras Al Khaimah, the United Arab Emirates, his Highness Sheikh Saud, his Highness Sheikh Omar and Dr Massaad among many others. This is a fantastic venue for the America’s Cup. It is work in progress, but what has been achieved so far is second to none. It’s an honour and a pleasure to be here and I can’t wait to get sailing,” said Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi team president, at a press conference in Al Hamra Village on Saturday. “Some of the things I see from BMW Oracle read like the trailer of a Hollywood movie, do they really think we and the rest of the world ignore the fact that 40% of the world oil traffic goes through the Strait of Hormuz and as many goods are coming in to provide for what is the fastest growing region in the world over the last 10 years? If the Strait or this area had any security issues, we would know about it. So I say: Come on BMW Oracle, Larry Ellison, Russell Coutts and Tom Ehman; let’s get real and let’s get sailing. Stop inventing things for the sake of it.”
Preparations for the America’s Cup continue apace, both on Al Hamra Island, home to the team bases, and within Al Hamra Village where the teams and America’s Cup visitors will be accommodated over the next few months. The infrastructure is tailor-made for the event, courtesy of Ras Al Khaimah and Dr Khater Massaad, Advisor to H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, whose support has been invaluable. “We are proud to host such a world-acclaimed sporting event and welcome Alinghi with open arms,” said Dr Massaad, “we just hope to be able to welcome BMW Oracle, the challenger, soon in order to finalise preparations at their base on Al Hamra America’s Cup Island. The government of Ras Al Khaimah and the UAE guarantee the security of both teams in the lead up and during the Cup,” he declared.
Grant Simmer, Alinghi’s design team coordinator, has been on site during the early preparations and is delighted at the speed that work has progressed: “The difference between when we arrived here and now is amazing. The support from everyone involved in Ras Al Khaimah has been incomparable and we look forward to a successful America’s Cup Match in February 2010.”
Alinghi will now settle in to a training schedule towards the America’s Cup Match.
Statement from Société Nautique de Genève’s Brad Butterworth, four-time America’s Cup winner and skipper of the America’s Cup defending team Alinghi, following yet another lawsuit from the American challenger BMW Oracle:
“Larry Ellison, Russell Coutts and their yacht club, the Golden Gate, seem to believe that the 33rd America’s Cup can be won in court as their 7th legal challenge demonstrates. Our team is ready to compete in Ras al Khaimah, UAE, the official venue for the 33rd America’s Cup and will begin four months of intensive training before the start of the America’s Cup Match on 8 February 2010.
BMW Oracle’s latest lawsuit is further proof of their unsportsmanlike behaviour. We will only return to the legal process to show that it is sporting character and sailing strategy that wins races, not litigation. Meanwhile our Cup preparations and training will continue in Ras al Khaimah where we hope they will deign to join us for the America’s Cup Match.
As Trustee of the America’s Cup, we are convinced that Ras al Khaimah is the perfect and legitimate venue for the 33rd edition of sport’s oldest trophy. New York Supreme Court Justice Cahn’s order of 2008 stated that ‘the location of the match shall be in Valencia or any other location selected by SNG’. As far as BMW Oracle’s security concerns: Tiger Woods plays in the UAE every year, Roger Federer plays here every year, and even Russell Coutts sails here every year.
Their claims regarding the Deed of Gift prevailing over the order of the Court are in conflict with previous submissions on the date of the match. Their complaints as to safety are not truly held by them, demonstrated by the fact that they have relocated personnel to Ras Al Khaimah, and have equipment at the venue in preparation for the Match.
We believe this lawsuit is yet another tactic employed by Larry Ellison and BMW Oracle to avoid racing us for the Cup on the water.”
Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, host venue for the 33rd America’s Cup 2010
US team Oracle on Friday rejected the choice of Gulf emirate Ras al-Khaimah as the venue for its February duel with America’s Cup defender Alinghi, describing it as “illegitimate and unsafe” due to its proximity to Iran.
“In light of the developing situation in the Arabian Gulf region, Ras al-Khaimah is particularly unsuitable,” Oracle’s representative, the Golden Gate Yacht Club, said in a statement.
It called on the New York Supreme Court to order the race instead be held in the Spanish Mediterranean port of Valencia, where the last America’s Cup, won by Alinghi, took place in 2007.
Alinghi condemned Oracle’s move as a “tactic” by its owner, American computer billionaire Larry Ellison, and vowed to press on with plans to hold the event as scheduled.
“Their complaints as to safety are not truly held by them, demonstrated by the fact that they have relocated personnel to Ras Al Khaimah, and have equipment at the venue in preparation for the match,” Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth said in a statement.
“We believe this lawsuit is yet another tactic employed by Larry Ellison and BMW Oracle to avoid racing us for the Cup on the water… Our Cup preparations and training will continue in Ras al-Khaimah.”
Alinghi, owned by Swiss biotech billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, and Oracle have been engaged in a two-year legal battle over the next edition of yachting’s premier event.
Under a ruling by a New York court in April, the 33rd America’s Cup was scheduled to be settled in a three-leg duel starting February 8 instead of the traditional fully-fledged regatta involving several teams.
In a surprise move, Alinghi, represented by the Societe Nautique de Geneve (SNG), announced in August that Ras al-Khaimah would be the site of the race.
Representatives of Oracle inspected the proposed venue last month.
“It was clear that the RAK venue fails on every key measure necessary for a successful America?s Cup, including: lack of infrastructure, security and wind,” Oracle’s representative, the Golden Gate Yacht Club, said in a statement.
It said Alinghi’s “proposed course area is within 17 miles (27 kilometres) of islands occupied by Iran in a current territorial dispute with the United Arab Emirates of which Ras al-Khaimah is a member state,” it said.
“GGYC will not consent to SNG?s choice of an illegitimate and unsafe venue.”
It said that under America’s Cup rules the race cannot be held in the northern hemisphere without the mutual consent of the two teams.
“The only exception is Valencia, which the (New York) courts April 7, 2009 decision expressly permits,” GGYC said.
But Butterworth countered that the New York court’s order said “the location of the match shall be in Valencia or any other location selected by SNG.”
Oracle’s New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts described the choice of Ras al-Khaimah as “another example of Alinghi abusing its role as trustee of the America’s Cup.
“We want to get this going on the water but not in a risky or unsafe situation. Ras al-Khaimah is a very remote place, it’s a half-completed real estate development,” he told AFP.
The America’s Cup was to be held in the Middle East for the first time as Ras al-Khaimah’s Investment Authority tries to develop the tiny emirate by attracting investment, tourism and major international events.
Loading ...