Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth (left) and syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli. Photo / Mark Mitchell
MADRID - Alinghi has been unwilling to hold talks regarding the organisation of the next America's Cup, BMW Oracle Racing's home yacht club said today.
"Time is running out," Golden Gate Yacht Club spokesman Tom Ehman said. "Our designers and builders need to know what sort of boat
we will be racing in and where."
The American syndicate wrote to its Swiss counterpart after a court ruled on November 27 that Alinghi, the defending champion, must negotiate the format and rules of the next America's Cup with BMW Oracle Racing since the original challenger of record - Spanish syndicate Desafio Espanol - was invalid.
BMW Oracle Racing, with the backing of eight other challengers, said it sent a second request for talks to Alinghi on Tuesday that went unanswered.
Alinghi wouldn't confirm if it had received the correspondences.
"We do have the intentions of holding talks but we're awaiting the court order first," Alinghi said. "Right now we are considering all of our options, whether it be to appeal, to negotiate the protocol or to race in catamarans."
Should the Swiss syndicate prefer to take up the "Deed of Gift" challenge, it would sail against the Americans in a one-off best-of-three race at Valencia in July. In the Cup's 156-year history, such a scenario happened only in 1988 when Dennis Conner turned back New Zealand's rogue challenge by sailing a catamaran to a two-race sweep against the Kiwis' big boat off San Diego.
New York State Supreme Court Judge Herman J. Cahn is expected to release the court order on December 10, according to America's Cup Management chief executive Michel Hodara.
"I know there is a lot of worry but we cannot be swept away in the actions of BMW Oracle Racing," Hodara said. "We have things to do and decisions to make that must be done in a certain way."
America's Cup Management postponed the 33rd edition five days before the court ruling due to the uncertainty over the court case.
BMW Oracle Racing reaffirmed its commitment to hosting the event in Valencia in 2009 today, while adding it would lean toward a return to Mediterranean port city for the 34th edition in 2011.
- AP
