America’s Cup challenger questions Swiss defender’s use of sails built in Nevada

New spat arises between America’s Cup rivals

SAN DIEGO — After fighting in court for more than two years over rules, dates and ports, the bitter America’s Cup rivals heading for a February showdown in giant multihulls are now tussling over sails.

Challenger BMW Oracle Racing of California has questioned whether defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland plans to use sails built in Nevada in what the Americans say is a violation of the 19th century document governing the event.

Marcus Young, commodore of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club, said in a letter sent Tuesday to Alinghi’s backing club, Societe Nautique de Geneve, that the Deed of Gift is clear in requiring that the yacht, including its hull, appendages, mast and sails, be constructed in the country of the club it represents.

“Among other possible issues, it appears that your team intends to use sails constructed at Minden, Nev., in the USA,” Young wrote to SNG vice commodore Fred Meyer. “We believe this would constitute a direct infringement of the clear terms of the Deed.”

Young asked that SNG advise GGYC within five days if it has a different interpretation, “so that this issue can be resolved in a timely manner without delaying the Match, and to avoid post-match litigation.”

In a separate statement, GGYC spokesman Tom Ehman said that absent agreement on the constructed-in-country interpretation, a five-member International Jury recently appointed by the International Sailing Federation would be asked to rule on the matter.

“Both yachts should come to the start ’street-legal,’ ” Ehman said. “The sailing world expects this, and wants to know before the Match is sailed, not after.”

North Sails has a plant in Minden, Nev.

Asked last week about rumors that the Swiss were using U.S.-built sails on its giant catamaran while training off Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that the syndicate was building its sails in Villeneuve, Switzerland. That’s where the Swiss built their 90-foot catamaran, Alinghi 5.

A New York appeals court last week upheld a lower court’s order that RAK is ineligible to host the racing due to stipulations in the Deed of Gift, confirming Valencia, Spain, as the port.

The showdown for the oldest trophy in international sports had been scheduled as a best-of-three series set to begin Feb. 8. There apparently had been an agreement in place to make it a best-of-seven series starting Feb. 12, but Alinghi reportedly backed out of that deal.

BMW Oracle Racing’s 90-by-90-foot trimaran is en route to Valencia aboard a cargo ship. Rather than traditional sails, it will use a wing sail that towers 190 feet above the deck and is bigger than the wing of an Airbus A380, the world’s biggest passenger airliner.

BMW Oracle Racing is owned by software mogul Larry Ellison of Oracle Corp. Alinghi is owned by biotech tycoon Ernesto Bertarelli.