America's Cup 2007 Venue decision

by NZoom on 7 May 2003 Alinghi, the Swiss team that won the America's Cup earlier this year, will decide by mid-December where in Europe to host the 2007 competition, on the basis of the best meteorologic condition and facilities available, team officials said Wednesday.

'The priority will be not losing too many racing days as a result of adverse weather and sea condition,' Alinghi's sport director and strategist, Jochen Schuemann, told a news conference in Milan. The schedule of regattas off Auckland in the last competition was often disrupted by adverse weather.

Alinghi won the silver America's Cup in March by routing defending champion New Zealand 5-0, bringing the trophy to Europe for the first time in the competition's 152-year history.

Between 15 to 20 challengers were expected to file their application by the end of this year.

According to Italian reports, Prada's Luna Rossa may enter the competition, scrubbing retirement plans suggested by team owner Patrizio Bertelli after the Italian boat failed to qualify for the final in Auckland.

Alinghi's skipper Russel Coutts, who had been at the helm of Team New Zealand before, will be part of the group in charge of selecting the host city.

The cities selected so far, out of 160 bidders, are Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Valencia, Spain; Naples, Porto Cervo (Sardinia) and the Elba island, Italy; Lisbon, Portugal; and Marseille, France.

Schuemann said the number of bidders would be cut to four by the end of May with the winning venue announced by mid December.

A number of regattas, open to Alinghi and Cup class boats, will be organised from September through 2005, to have the teams confronting ahead of the America's Cup, Alinghi officials said.

The first of the planned regattas will be held off San Francisco in September but most will be in southern Europe.

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