First impressions on the Americas Cup

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Russel Coutts (BMW Oracle) and Vicenzo Onorato (Mascalzone Latino, Challenger of Record) held a press conference in Rome.

Coutts announced the creation of an independent arbitration college to develop clear rules in order to avoid the conflicts of the 33rd America’s Cup.

The 34 Copa America will have more versatile boats that are not so limited to the weather conditions. To favor the spectacle, navigation should require great physical effort on the part of the crew. The new rules of the 34 Americas Cup will be made public on August 31, 2010, when the registration period will open.

At the moment the exact date of the 34 Copa America has not been announced, although everything points to 2013 or 2014. Prior to this date, a series of races will be carried out in different cities that will somehow score for the next edition Of the America’s Cup.

Ellison and Bertarelli sign the peace

It’s over … at last the “other battle” has been shelved, not the race course, but the court. According to a statement from the Golden Yatch Club of San Francisco, Alinghi and BMW Oracle announce the end of the hostilities. “We have reached an agreement with the Geneva Nautical Society and all pending litigation in the New York courts on the 33rd America’s Cup will be withdrawn on both sides.”

Thus, the 34 Copa America continues its course. BMW Oracle and the new challenger of record (Mascalzone Latino) are negotiating to decide where to host the next edition, as well as the date, format and type of boat.

Ernesto Bertarelli in the America’s Cup
He was born in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1965. He is considered the richest man in his country. His father owns the company Serono International SA (biotechnology). He studied at Babson College, Massachusetts, and joined Harvard University, where he earned a master’s degree in business administration.

In 1995 he returned to Switzerland and his father gave him 80% of the company. The following year, when he was 30, Ernesto became president of the company after the death of his father. Advanced biotech products were joined by pharmacists, a business that, in a short time, made Bertarelli the richest man in Switzerland.

His passion for sailing comes from his childhood. He has been the Bol d’Or (1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003), winner of the Sardinia Cup (1998) and world champion of the class 12 m and Farr 40 (2001).

In 2003 he won the Copa America with his boat, the Alinghi, snatching it from Team New Zeland. The name of the boat was imposed by his father before he died because Ernesto kept repeating that invented word. In 2007 he returned to win the America’s Cup. However, in this latest edition, Alinghi has been defeated by the BMW Oracle … will Bertarelli be in the 34 America’s Cup?

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