America’s Cup yachts arrive in Valencia

Racing yachts belonging to Alinghi and BMW Oracle, two teams competing in the America’s Cup next month, both arrived in Valencia, Spain. But legal questions continue to dog the event.

“The voyage from Ras Al Khaimah to Valencia went smoothly and over the coming days we will settle back into our base in the Dársena,” said Grant Simmer, Alinghi design team coordinator in a statement. “The team will focus on readying Alinghi 5 for the final training session ahead of the first race for the 33rd America’s Cup, which starts on 8 February.”

BMW-Oracle issued a similar statement, noting that it transported 200 tonnes of sails, boat and equipment from its training base in San Diego. “It’s important that today, with just over a month to go, we keep our focus tight and narrow on what we have to do to win the Cup,” said Russell Coutts, CEO, in the statement.

But BMW-Oracle, through its sponsor Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC), released a letter to Fred Meyer, vice commodore of Alinghi’s sponsor SNG, related to an ongoing legal dispute. The letter referred to talks the two teams had last month in Sydney, and proposed a meeting in Singapore on January 12. “We respectfully remind you that, while the discussions in Sydney were positive, GGYC does not consider the process the success you described because it appears that SNG is stalling the implementation of those talks,” wrote Marcus Young, GGYC’s Commodore. Young said SNG, as the event’s trustee, needed to issue an amended “Notice of Race” to take into account recent orders by New York state courts, and indemnify the International Jury, “so it is able to begin to work.”

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