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Oracle rejects ‘unsafe’ UAE venue for America’s Cup

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

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.

This is Valencia! (Spain)

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.

Info: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hogbuCNhZ0bytvU75TD3IBm3trHA

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Alinghi will decide the host city for the 33 America’s Cup

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

The BMW Oracle thinks that Alinghi will not select Valencia the next  August 6. Americans fear that the defender will be the 33rd America’s Cup to be contesting the February 8, at a place that is not Malvarrosa beach.
Habemus mess. The ruling of Judge Cahn and  Judge Kornreich agree that Alinghi can choose Valencia or anywhere else to challenge the competition.
The Swiss have taken the advice literally, and are tendered to lead the race wherever they want, under the ruling, and also in the fact that they are a challenge in the northern hemisphere and it makes little sense to take south.
Meanwhile, BMW Oracle was again called on Wednesday wrote to Swiss team that if the race is not going to take place in Valencia and will lead to another port of the upper part of the world should, prior to achieving consensus the challenger. And they did that on Monday after Alinghi will send one of those numerous letters reminding them that the judges had awarded the seat to choose where they rotate (Not in those words of course).
The letter reads: “To be perfectly clear: the latest rulings of judges and Kornreich Cahn said that SNG (Alinghi) is awarded for choosing Valencia” or any other venue “for the next Cup, not qualified or limited”.
On Wednesday, Oracle responded to the letter of Switzerland recalled that under his interpretation of the judgments should be based consensus by the two parties if it decides not to Alinghi in Valencia.
And to strengthen his speech, he reminded Americans that Alinghi during the last trial were they that one of his papers before the court that the Deed of Gift leaves no place for doubt that the Cup was not held in the northern hemisphere between November 1 or the first of May.
Therefore, the controversy smacks of trade unions will go through the ‘vicarage’ (Supreme Court of New York) to be the judges who decide whether Alinghi can unilaterally take the race where he pleases, or if you must have the consent of no match for Valencia if it chooses another location in the northern hemisphere.

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BMW-Oracle wants next two America’s Cup to be held in Spain

Monday, June 8th, 2009

US team Oracle reiterated Thursday its wish that the next edition of the America’s Cup, a multihull duel against defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland, be held in March 2010 in Valencia, Spain.

It also said the following edition of yachting’s premier racing event could also be staged in 2011 or 2012 in Valencia, where Alinghi won the 32nd America’s Cup in July 2007, and has asked its Swiss rivals to aim for this.

This position was expressed by two officials, Oracle spokesman Tom Ehman and the team’s skipper Russell Coutts of New Zealand, to local media Thursday in Valencia, and in a letter sent to Alinghi.

In the letter, Oracle recalled that a US court has ruled that the multihull duel must take place no later than next February in Valencia, or if not there in a location selected by Alinghi by August 8 in the southern hemisphere.

The US team left the door open to a mutual agreement on another location in the northern hemisphere with Alinghi, which said earlier this week that it was studying “various locations” for the duel without giving further details.

Oracle suggested as a mediator for the organization of this duel the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), but said it does not want to change the date for the event.

Ehman and Coutts said that no matter what the outcome of the duel is, Oracle would like the 34th America’s Cup to be held soon in Valencia in its traditional format, involving multiple challengers, in what is a departure from its usual position up until now.

They also indicated that racing events similar to the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series held earlier this year in New Zealand could take place this fall at Valencia.

Oracle also indicated that its “USA” multihulls yacht for the duel will be launched this summer but did not clarify whether the ship the giant trimaran it is modifying in San Diego or a new multihull under construction.

The multihull Alinghi is building in Switzerland is also expected to be launched this summer. Oracle said the rules of the event forbid it from having two masts, as Alinghi proposed in a recent letter.

via AFP.

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The New York Court ruling that the America’s Cup will be in February 2010

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

The judge of the Supreme Court of New York Court of Shirley Werner Kornreich ruled today that the 33rd edition of the America’s Cup will be in February 2010, but has qualified to Alinghi and BMW-Oracle can agree another date, Valencia haven’t confirmed to host the competition.
According to the Alinghi sources, the judge has given a list of potential mediators to intercede for the parties to agree on the date of the 33rd America’s Cup, in the case is not achieved, will be held in February 2010 at a venue that the defender must communicate six months before the race.
Failure to reach agreement and have to compete in February 2010, the same sources have stressed that Alinghi will have to “evaluate” whether Valencia would be the right place at the conditions of his race during the winter in the northern hemisphere.
Two releases of both teams litigants, the Alinghi and BMW-Oracle, issued today after the ruling, explain the different nuances of the judicial decision.
Tom Ehman, spokesman for the Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC), which competes for the BMW-Oracle, said in a statement issued after the hearing that “today is due to end any further delay to the 33rd edition of the America’s Cup and now we can look forward to exciting race early next year. ”
His note said that the April 7, 2009, the Court of Appeals of New York Court ruled unanimously that the GGYC was the rightful ‘Challenger of Record’ edition of 33 and that the next America’s Cup should be held in ten months in early February 2010.
However, in a letter dated April 23 of the Geneva Nautical Society (SNG), which competes on ‘Alinghi’ defender of the America’s Cup, tried to postpone the race until May 2010, which led to a motion of the U.S. team has now been finally resolved in his favor.

The Neverending Story

Following the ratification today by the Court, the NGA has also sent a statement indicating that compliance with this decision and is pleased “clarity” that gives the resolution.
“We now know that the America’s Cup could take place in the northern hemisphere, regardless of date and may be agreed through mediation, according to Judge Kornreich,” says the note from the Swiss team.
The union reported that presides Ernesto Bertarelli also emphasizes that Judge Kornreich “requires” the BMW-Oracle to “adhere” to the specifications of its notification of challenge in July 2007 and that “as soon as possible” present Alinghi boat certificate.
“That means we have the boat in the catamaran for ninety ninety feet in the duel to take place, has to comply strictly with its notification said that in July 2007 because they risk a disqualification,” in If it does not have the same sources clarified.

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Desafío Español was disappointed by the verdict

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009
Club Náutico Español de Vela (CNEVA)  the Spanish Challenge has received the decision of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of New York on the America’s Cup with “disappointment” as indicated in a statement.
The Spanish hope that will not dispute the duel. “Now it will  ratify the statements made by BMW Oracle Racing Team, which indicated the possibility of contesting an America’s Cup teams with multiple conventional reaching an agreement with the current defender, Alinghi.

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