Yachting: Alinghi starts building boat

Alinghi is building a boat to race in the next America's Cup - as long as it's held next year.

Skipper Brad Butterworth said Alinghi was gearing up to race challenger BMW Oracle Racing, but not in October as the American team is demanding.

"[Alinghi owner] Ernesto [Bertarelli] has committed to building this multi-hull and as long as we can get the pending issues resolved by the New York courts - including a race date in 2009 - we'll be sailing in a huge multi-hull against BMW Oracle, which is something pretty exciting," Butterworth said.

The Golden Gate Yacht Club - home to BMW Oracle Racing - is awaiting a judge's ruling on when the two syndicates will meet in a best-of-three match race to decide the 33rd edition of sport's oldest competition.

The Americans were made the official challenger to the Societe Nautique de Geneve when the Swiss team was ruled to have accepted an invalid challenge in a bid to gain an unfair advantage.