Oracle and Alinghi have agreed that the 33rd America’s Cup set for Valencia next year will be either a five-leg or seven-leg competition instead of the the best-of-three event that has been proposed, the mayor of the Spanish port city said Friday.
An agreement in principle in this sense was reached at a meeting in the city on Thursday between representatives of the two sides, Valencia mayor Rita Barbera said.
The two sides were meeting to prepare the next edition of the sailing race in the case the New York Supreme Court cofirms next week Valencia as the location for the event as desired by Oracle of the United States.
Defending Swiss champions Alinghi want the race to take place in the port of Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates but Oracle has contested its choice in court.
Oracle, owned by American computer billionaire Larry Ellison, launched a legal challenge in 2007 that accused Alinghi, which as defending champion is charged with organising the next event, of bending the rules to give it an unfair advantage.
The New York Supreme Court ruled in April that the Cup should be settled by a one-on-one multihull duel between the two sides next February instead of the traditional fully-fledged regatta with several teams involving seven legs.
Via (AFP) & Yahoo News: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091211/sp_wl_afp/yachtingamcup_20091211171613
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