Alinghi chooses catamaran for America's Cup duel

GENEVA: America's Cup defenders Alinghi have chosen a giant catamaran to meet US rival Oracle's challenge, the team revealed on Saturday.

The slender craft with two 27.4 meter long hulls is the Swiss team's response to the huge ocean racing-inspired trimaran that Oracle launched last year during the legal battle over the duel, that Alinghi lost.

The Cup holders said in a statement it was "the first step in Alinghi's development process towards the 33rd America's Cup in February 2010," hinting at the possible date for the duel.