Alinghi Defends America's Cup

Swiss team scores 1-second victory over New Zealand to remain atop sailing world
By Sophie Goldstein,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 3, 2007 12:37 PM CDT
Alinghi Defends America's Cup
Crew members of Alinghi from Switzerland celebrate as they enter Port America's Cup in Valencia, Spain, Tuesday, July 3, 2007. Alinghi won a thrilling photo finish over Team New Zealand to win the 32nd America's Cup, becoming only the third yacht to retain the 156-year-old America's Cup. (AP Photo/Bernat...   (Associated Press)

Alinghi defended the America's Cup today, scoring a 1-second victory over Team New Zealand and returning the most prestigious title in international sailing to landlocked Switzerland. The series, contested off Valencia, Spain, was the closest since 1983—the widest margin in Alinghi's 5-2 victory in the nine-race series was 35 seconds—despite the huge disparity in the teams' resources.

Billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli staked Alinghi to a budget twice the size of the Kiwis' and assembled an international crew that included Australians, Americans, and Spaniards. "I just love this team," he crowed as he hoisted the 156-year-old silver trophy. Alinghi now makes the rules for its second defense, which may come as soon as 2009. (More sailing stories.)

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