What makes the Swiss tick

By MATHIEU TRUFFER

Does Alinghi make the Swiss enthusiastic? A Sunday newspaper asked that question shortly after the fifth win against Oracle in the Louis Vuitton Cup final.

The result turned out to be ambiguous, with only a 50 per cent 'yes' rate from the 1,000 readers who replied.

Mixed feelings in Switzerland derive from the lasting impression that Alinghi's success remains largely a private matter with a big business feel about it but that could be on the verge of changing.

In the early stages of the challenge, Ernesto Bertarelli had said he would conduct Alinghi in a similar way to his pharmaceutical giant, Serono. And so he did by investing a lot of money on the best people, whatever their nationalities, and then imposing a slick and competitive management style.

During the past four months, fewer Swiss than Alinghi expected felt any emotion watching the red and grey boat win races in the Hauraki Gulf.

T-shirt sales and souvenirs were lower than first projected and few supporters bothered to cross the world on packages offered by travel agencies.

But in a grey and pretty depressing winter for the Swiss economy, curiosity has been mounting around Ernesto Bertarelli himself. His achievements on and off the water have hinted at a possible new approach for Switzerland's big business.

Bertarelli is everywhere in the Swiss press, from daily newspapers to women's magazines.

This impact is particularly important with French-speaking Switzerland, for a long time second-best in the pursuit of economic excellence, hosting the country's wealthiest man for the first time in decades.

Traditional businesses, from banking to insurance companies, Swisscom or the national airline, have just had a particularly bad spell, firing thousands of staff.

Their CEOs, most of them in their 60s and 70s, have given few satisfactory explanations and have often looked old-fashioned, conservative and unable to meet the expectations of an increasingly global economy.

Bertarelli conveys just the opposite impression. He is young, articulate and shows no timidity in front of international competition.

Educated in the United States, he has challenged the Americans in one of their strongholds - biotechnology - and succeeded.

His America's Cup campaign is seen as an equivalent in the sporting world and it came as no surprise that Swiss president Pascal Couchepin mentioned Alinghi in his inaugural speech.

So, what if the man wins the 2003 Cup. It would be a huge personal satisfaction for him, with the prospect of more millions to be made.

Europeans cities would start bidding for the rights to host the next event.

The name Alinghi, as a new symbol for excellence, could also become a brand for more than just T-shirts and develop huge commercial value.

From a popular point of view, a Swiss victory could be an anticlimax, with disappointment and frustration in Auckland and no more than a gentle sense of contentment in Switzerland.

New Zealand's most amazing contribution to the event - popular enthusiasm - would disappear, and there would be a huge sense of loss among all of us who have experienced Auckland both over the 1999-2000 challenge and the current challenge.

But Bertarelli's position as holder of the Cup would be intriguing.

Possibly never since New York won the cup in Cowes in 1851 would someone be as free to have a fresh look at all aspects of the event.

Bertarelli is not committed to any city, politician or organisation. Although he has annoyed many New Zealanders by poaching Coutts, Butterworth and company, he is genuinely passionate about sailing.

This passion, combined with his business skills and constant pursuit of excellence, could be promising for the event.

But this is all speculation. Racing starts on Saturday: let us enjoy what will hopefully be an exhilarating showdown.

Time for some great sport.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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