Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton. Photo / Richard Robinson(Excerpt from New Zealand Herald)
Team New Zealand yachting boss Grant Dalton has ripped into his arch rival Ernesto Bertarelli, accusing him of tarnishing the image of the 156-year-old America's Cup contest.
Team New Zealand announced today it was taking Bertarelli's Alinghi syndicate to court to seek "tens of millions of euros" compensation after Bertarelli delayed the next regatta, probably until 2011.
Bertarelli and Alinghi had done a lot of damage, Dalton said.
"It has done damage to the cup and to the brand America's Cup. The whole event was on the crest of a wave which has crashed on the shore."
The next regatta was to have been sailed next year but was delayed because of a bitter dispute over the rules between Alinghi and rival American syndicate Oracle.
Dalton said today Alinghi had breached its contract with Team New Zealand to run the contest next year. Full Story
