Cup sweeter second time around for Alinghi
VALENCIA, Spain: Victory was sweet the first time Alinghi landed the America's Cup but the relief of fighting through internal problems and external challenges made it all the sweeter when they won a second time on Tuesday.
Alinghi rode a historical wave through the 2003 America's Cup, becoming the first debutant team and the first European syndicate to capture sailing's most prestigious prize.
This time as defender, Alinghi have had to fight challengers who disliked changes they made to the 32nd America's Cup and then had to sit on the sidelines practising alone while Team New Zealand strengthened through the challenger rounds.
Alinghi came out a bit rusty at the start and had to fight much harder to win 5-2 than they did in Auckland in 2003 when they romped home 5-0.
"If I had to pick one (as my favorite) it would be this one," team president and founder Ernesto Bertarelli told reporters.
"It was close and it was harder. When you have to fight it the way we fought it and pull deep into the team, into each individual who has been with us over the last four years, it makes it a more fulfilling and stronger victory.
Real lesson
"It's been a real lesson in life, one of the hardest things I've ever done. Today is probably, beside the birth of my kids, the best day of my life," said the 41-year-old billionaire.
As well as nail-biting battles on the water, Alinghi had its own struggle to pull together after Russell Coutts, who skippered them to victory in 2003, was sacked the next year over differences with Bertarelli.
"Russell is a great sailor and sailing with him has to be one of the greatest memories ever ... but this time it was a victory of a team," Bertarelli said.
"It has really been an unbelievable experience in team building, to work with unbelievable people, through highs and lows, and we have had a lot of them."
After Coutts left, Bertarelli handed the job of skipper to Brad Butterworth, who had sailed with Coutts and four other Kiwis in New Zealand's 1995 and 2000 America's Cup victories.
Butterworth, who won his fourth consecutive America's Cup on Tuesday, said this victory was his favourite.
"The strength in our sailing team has been fantastic," he said. "There was another good team out there that was equal or close to it so to win again shows the strength of our crew and I find it incredibly fulfilling."
Agencies
(China Daily 07/05/2007 page23)
