Cup remains in limbo

Holders Alinghi are appealing a New York court's ruling that BMW Oracle should be the main challenger for the next America's Cup, arguing the challenge by Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) was invalid because the boat they proposed to race was flawed.

GGYC told State Supreme Court Justice Herman Cahn at the hearing that he had no jurisdiction over yachting design and that the International Yachting Federation (ISAF) based in Britain should decide the issue.

"It would be inappropriate for this court to settle the issues," said Kearney, a lawyer for the challengers. "The ISAF is an internationally recognised body that settles disputes."

Lucien Masmejan, a lawyer for Alinghi's yacht club SNG (Societe Nautique de Geneve), said the delay was frustrating and the Cup holders just wanted to get on with staging a 33rd edition of the race.

"We want to get into the water as soon as we know with what boat we will come," Masmejan said outside the courtroom.

The New York court ruled in November that Alinghi's chosen challenger of record, new Spanish yacht club CNEV (Club Nautico Espanol de Vela) was invalid under the America's Cup governing documents and said BMW Oracle would take its place.

Swiss team Alinghi filed a motion to renew and re-argue the case because of the way they specified the boat to be raced.

GGYC challenged Alinghi to race in a keel yacht which measures 90x90 foot. Most observers took that to mean the yachts would be huge catamarans or trimarans but Alinghi argued a keel boat was a monohull.

"A 90x90 would look more like a barge than a racing yacht," Michel Hodara, head of Alinghi's event organising body ACM, had said.

Alinghi has said it now expects to race in 2011.