Congratulations to the Kiwi mercenary boat people -gg
__________________________
SPORTS Sunday, March 2, 2003
Landlocked Swiss grab America's Cup
By AP
AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Landlocked Switzerland became the first European country to win the 152-year-old America's Cup yesterday, a historic victory by a crew loaded with New Zealanders who had been branded as traitors.
Skipper Russell Coutts took the cup from the country he brought it to in 1995, steering the whimsically named sloop Alinghi to a five-race sweep against hard-luck Team New Zealand, the two-time defending champion.
Alinghi also included Canadian crew members Curtis Blewett of Kelowna, B.C., and Kai Bjorn of Montreal.
On a perfect day on the Hauraki Gulf, between Rangitoto and Tiritiri Matangi islands, Coutts again outsailed his former protege, Dean Barker, and led the entire race to end the long, bitter regatta.
Several European tycoons tried unsuccessfully over 15 decades to take back the trophy that the yacht America won by beating a fleet of British schooners around the Isle of Wight in 1851. The one who finally won sailing's biggest prize was Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli, a 37-year-old biotech billionaire who scooped up the best Kiwi sailors his money could buy.
"I am a New Zealander. Make no bones about that," Coutts said during the champagne-splashed tow back to port. "But I am immensely proud of what we've achieved at Alinghi. It's been a lot of hard work for me, and as a professional sailor, frankly, I'm proud of what I've done."
canoe.ca |
