Bad blood continues ahead of showdown
Source: Agencies |
February 8, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
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THE America's Cup squabbling continued on Saturday when BMW Oracle chief Larry Ellison withdrew from a news conference in Valencia, Spain, that should have featured the owners of both teams.
The software billionaire pulled out over a perceived slight by organizers against his chief executive, New Zealander Russell Coutts.
Officials said Coutts had not been told he should stay away, simply that it was a conference for owners and not chief executives ahead of today's opening race between challenger BMW Oracle and holder Alinghi.
"We didn't say Russell is not welcome. We said there is no second choice," said America's Cup spokesman Paco Tormo.
Saturday's incident highlighted a bitter lead-up to the 33rd America's Cup, with the camps arguing for more than two years over who had the right to challenge Alinghi, the kind of boats they could sail in and the technology that could be used.
The regatta
A New York court has put off until after the regatta a ruling on a challenge by BMW Oracle against the sails being used by Alinghi.
Ernesto Bertarelli, president of Alinghi, said he had tried to patch up his differences with Ellison.
"I guess today sums it up. I came here determined to shake his hand ... and here again I'm here and he's not," said Italian-born Bertarelli, a biotechnology and banking billionaire.
The relationship between Bertarelli and Ellison, once friendly rivals, has deteriorated since Coutts joined BMW Oracle just after the courtroom saga began.
Coutts, a three-time America's Cup champion, previously skippered Alinghi.
Asked if anything but bad weather could stop the first race in the best-of-three series, Bertarelli said: "I'm surprised Larry's not here today so anything's possible between now and Monday."
The weather looms as a potentially deciding factor within the race rules which stipulate no racing in winds above 15 knots.
Officials could also call off a race if there was a wind shift of more than 30 percent on the first leg but early weather forecasts for today appear favorable.
The race is a straightforward 40-mile course of one upwind leg and one downwind.
The software billionaire pulled out over a perceived slight by organizers against his chief executive, New Zealander Russell Coutts.
Officials said Coutts had not been told he should stay away, simply that it was a conference for owners and not chief executives ahead of today's opening race between challenger BMW Oracle and holder Alinghi.
"We didn't say Russell is not welcome. We said there is no second choice," said America's Cup spokesman Paco Tormo.
Saturday's incident highlighted a bitter lead-up to the 33rd America's Cup, with the camps arguing for more than two years over who had the right to challenge Alinghi, the kind of boats they could sail in and the technology that could be used.
The regatta
A New York court has put off until after the regatta a ruling on a challenge by BMW Oracle against the sails being used by Alinghi.
Ernesto Bertarelli, president of Alinghi, said he had tried to patch up his differences with Ellison.
"I guess today sums it up. I came here determined to shake his hand ... and here again I'm here and he's not," said Italian-born Bertarelli, a biotechnology and banking billionaire.
The relationship between Bertarelli and Ellison, once friendly rivals, has deteriorated since Coutts joined BMW Oracle just after the courtroom saga began.
Coutts, a three-time America's Cup champion, previously skippered Alinghi.
Asked if anything but bad weather could stop the first race in the best-of-three series, Bertarelli said: "I'm surprised Larry's not here today so anything's possible between now and Monday."
The weather looms as a potentially deciding factor within the race rules which stipulate no racing in winds above 15 knots.
Officials could also call off a race if there was a wind shift of more than 30 percent on the first leg but early weather forecasts for today appear favorable.
The race is a straightforward 40-mile course of one upwind leg and one downwind.
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