For now, however, the focus is on
“Ernesto is afraid of losing to
boat on the water, that may not be the
the boats, which made their formal
Russell. It isn’t possible for us to
end of it. Ellison predicts that Ernesto
debuts in August. After showing off
its Alinghi 5 in Geneva, the Swiss team
win {with the current protocol}.
Bertarelli, the Swiss billionaire who
heads Alinghi, will find any excuse to
flew the 90-foot catamaran over the
You think Ernesto is not going to
disqualify Oracle.
Alps, suspended from a helicopter,
disqualify us?”
“Ernesto is afraid of losing to
to Genoa, Italy. The twin-hulled craft
Larry Ellison
Russell,” Ellison said. “It isn’t possible
began sailing in saltwater for the for us to win [with the current protocol].
first time as the crew prepares for the You think Ernesto is not going to
showdown in the Persian Gulf. There is one certainty. Oracle will disqualify us?”
Meanwhile, San Francisco-based experiment with an auxiliary engine Nonetheless, Ellison will race.
Oracle staged a coming-out party and movable ballast in response to the “We’ll go out there and then you get the
in San Diego for its sleek trimaran, New York State Supreme Court ruling situation where we would beat them
momentarily thrilling the international in July that Alinghi can use auxiliary on the water and they’d say, ‘[Oracle
yachting press and the VIPs packed engines to trim sails and move ballast. is] disqualified because their mainsail
aboard America. Oracle had intended “I don’t think it’s right. It’s not the track is illegal,’ something like that. We
for the show to last longer, but problems tradition,” said Larry Ellison, Oracle want to go out there and beat them on
with the mainsail’s nitrogen-filled Corp. founder and CEO, and owner the water and let them do that.”
battens delayed the fly-by, and the sails of BMW Oracle Racing. “A bunch of And if that happens?
were dropped immediately afterward. grinders are going to lose their jobs.” “We’re brought back to court again
The contrast between two Grinders, however, are not Ellison’s after the race,” Ellison said.
America’s Cup boats has never been greatest concern. “We’re worried about But with any luck, the race will
more dramatic. One, a lumbering Alinghi being able to change the rules end on the water, not in court, leaving
gaff-rigged schooner of 19th century up to a minute before the races start. sailing fans reliving, for years to come,
design, the other a space-age, carbon We don’t think Alinghi should be able the thrills (and maybe some spills) of
and titanium craft that looks more like to control the umpires and the jury,” he these two juggernauts dueling to the
FX in a sci-fi movie than a sailboat. said. “We think we’re going to be back wire in a spectacular, winner-take-all,
Oracle, which will remain in in court.” three-race match.
San Diego until mid-November, also Even if BOR-90—to be christened 48° N
made its intentions clear. “This is USA before the race—is the fastest
the challenging vessel,” said three-
time America’s Cup winner Russell
Coutts, the team’s skipper and CEO,
explaining there is not time to build a
second boat.
University Swaging Division
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Although the current configuration
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To 60 feet
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48° No r t h , Se p t e m b e r 2009 pa g e 71
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