The America's Cup was this morning introduced to its new home - the Societe Nautique de Geneve, in Switzerland.
The Auld Mug travelled with the Alinghi syndicate from Auckland to Geneva, arriving on Sunday morning.
Today Alinghi syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli presented the cup to the club, whereit will stay until the next America's Cup, expected to be in 2007.
General manager of the Societe Nautique de Geneve Alec Tournier said his club were "honoured" to have the Auld Mug in their possession.
"It is a great honour and we just cannot believe how much people have got behind Alinghi. The number of people at the welcoming home celebration was amazing."
The cup will be on display in the Societe Nautique de Geneve, just as when it was held by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland.
The club will open its doors to the viewing public, but at the same time will carefully protect it. "We will do our best to look after it," Tournier said.
Situated on the shore of Lake Geneva, with a view of the Jet d'Eau (the water spout) and Geneva harbour, the Societe organises many regattas, including the famous 'Bol d'Or' with an annual entry of more than 500.
The club was established in 1872 and now has more than 3000 members.
But unlike typical New Zealand yacht clubs, the Societe Nautique has four divisions - rowing, water skiing, yachting and "light yachting", which is the term they use for the smaller classes such as the 49er and 470s.
Bertarelli has been a member of the club since 1982, and this is the link between the club and Alinghi.
Tournier said that during the latest Louis Vuitton Cup and America's Cup, more than 600 people had gone down to the club in the middle of the night to watch the racing.
"We knew Ernesto would give it his best shot to win the America's Cup but to be honest, many of us didn't think he would get it until his second try," Tournier said. "To win in his first attempt was an amazing achievement."
Now Switzerland has yachting's greatest prize, Tournier believes it will help increase the popularity of the sport. "Everyone will come and visit the club and it will probably get more people into yachting."
