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As America's Cup yachts have evolved into high-speed, "foiling"
machines which "fly" above the water on hydrofoils, the
adrenaline fuelled sport has increasingly been referred to as
Formula One on water and is now using much of the same
technology and design, as well as attracting its cash.
Alinghi, founded by billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, won the
America's Cup in 2003 and 2007 but have not competed for the
oldest trophy in international sport in over a decade. Holders
Emirates Team New Zealand have already been challenged by Ben
Ainslie's INEOS Britannia and others are expected to follow.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing will represent the Societe Nautique de
Geneve yacht club in its challenge for the 37th America's Cup,
which is due to be held in 2024, the new team said in a
statement which coincided with a launch event in Geneva.
Despite being land-locked, Switzerland has attracted top talent
since Bertarelli set his sights on sailing's most coveted prize,
as well as spawning a generation of home-grown stars.
"We want for this challenge to do something totally different,
totally new, totally fresh," Bertarelli said, describing Red
Bull, which has been a rival in events such as the GC32 and
Extreme Sailing, as providing the "wings".
A core crew led by Alinghi's GC32 co-skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis
will begin training to prepare "a 100% Swiss Made crew", the
team said on Tuesday.
Red Bull Racing principal Christian Horner said Red Bull
Advanced Technologies would share experiences and engineering
tips with Alinghi Red Bull Racing in a "two-way cooperation".
For Alinghi's Brad Butterworth, a four-time winner of the
America's Cup, the Red Bull partnership marks a new chapter.
"The America's Cup is a technology race which is won on the
water with race strategy and tactics. Red Bull has demonstrated
that time and time again in F1 and in many of the other sports
it competes in," Butterworth said.
(Reporting by Alexander Smith; Editing by Toby Davis)
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