It wasn’t an easy victory. Again on Sunday, the American squad pushed Alinghi to its limits, but in the end, the Swiss team prevailed, and skipper Russell Coutts lifted the Louis Vuitton Cup for the second time in his sailing career.

For Coutts and a number of his team mates, the win brings a February match up against a renewed version of their old squad, the Defender, Team New Zealand and all of the interesting story lines that accompany such a match up. The two teams are intimately familiar with each other

“I have a huge amount of respect for Team New Zealand,” said Alinghi founder and navigator, Ernesto Bertarelli. “We’ve sailed against the new Team New Zealand several times with Russell and the guys and lost two times, they beat us so we know that they are a very, very, strong team. I have a huge respect for Dean Barker, I think he is intelligent, smart and a very nice young man and he has the courage to lead Team New Zealand to victory, so we have to (be at our best).”

Alinghi blazed through the Louis Vuitton Cup in record time, sailing in just 28 races, a minimum number to become the Challenger. Alinghi was beaten on the water just twice, once in Round Robin One by OneWorld, and then again by Oracle BMW Racing in the Final.

But Alinghi saved two races; by not needing to sail the last race of the Round Robins (they had already secured first place) and in the Quarter Final when Prada conceded the fourth race to buy an extra day for modifications. With that kind of record, Alinghi was a formidable opponent in the Final, something Oracle BMW Racing syndicate head Larry Ellison was quick to acknowledge.

“They are a little like a fine Swiss watch with some Kiwi parts,” Ellison said. “It’s beautiful to watch sailing at that level… they just did a spectacular job.”

For Ellison, the loss was hard to take, but it hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for the event. At the post celebration press conference he was asked whether he’d be back.

“Absolutely!!” was the response, to the roar of an approving crowd.

Ellison’s appointed skipper Chris Dickson said that although the racing was close at times, Alinghi was the better team, and should make a strong Challenger.

“The scoreline does reflect what happened, and 5-1 is how good Alinghi is, so well done to them.”

For Alinghi, the task only becomes more difficult. Team New Zealand is a formidable foe, with a 10 – 0 record in the past two America’s Cups, and an awe inspiring 47 – 1 scoreline, including the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup. But the Swiss team can take comfort from the fact that six sailors from those teams now form the backbone of Alinghi. And many of the other old Team New Zealand sailors are spread across several other Louis Vuitton Cup syndicates.

“Team Alinghi is a fantastic team. I mean Team New Zealand was a great team, but this team (Alinghi) is so close it’s unbelievable,” enthused Russell Coutts. “We’ve developed a real feeling in this team…I think the strength of Alinghi is that everyone is trying to do their best…at Alinghi we’re all motivated and trying our very best. We’ve worked hard for this and it’s an achievement of a goal. We’ve come a long way from starting from nowhere, so I’m very, very happy.”

The tens of thousands of sailing fans who gathered along the ViaductBasin were respectful and gently enthusiastic towards Alinghi as they were presented with the Louis Vuitton Cup by Yves Carcelle, Chairman of the Louis Vuitton Group, in a Moët champagne soaked ceremony.

“It’s fantastic. It’s better than I expected to be honest,” Coutts admitted. “People are starting to recognise that this (the America’s Cup) has the potential to be a fantastic race.”

Many pundits would agree. The action starts with an unveiling ceremony on February 11th and Race One, scheduled for a 13:15 start on February 15th.

Source: Peter Rusch