Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Opponents set for crucial talks over America's Cup

Excerpt from http://www.independent.co.uk/ By Stuart Alexander

A cloak of silence has been drawn over the latest round of talks to try and resolve the disputes and disagreements surrounding the America's Cup, now just less than four weeks away.
The two sides, defender Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi of Switzerland, and the American challenger, Larry Ellison's BMW Oracle, are due to face each other across a negotiating table in the One Degree 15 marina resort on Singapore's Sentosa Island at 09.30 tomorrow.

The talks will be held under the gaze, but not the control, of David Tillett, who will chair the international jury for the event, due to start in Valencia, Spain, on 8 February, and Dave Kellett, who will represent the International Sailing Federation.

Top of the agenda will be an attempt to resolve the validity of the defending yacht from charges that it is using American rather than Swiss equipment, particularly the sails, which Oracle says are prohibited under the 1887 rules which govern the America's Cup. Read in full...