'Alinghi' and 'Oracle' ready for Cup challengers' final

Reuters, Auckland, New Zealand

After a turbulent start to the Louis Vuitton Cup, United States syndicate Oracle BMW Racing believe it is ready to beat favorite Alinghi and earn the right to challenge Team New Zealand for the 31st America's Cup.

Oracle's start to the campaign was marked by crew changes and personality clashes but the most expensive syndicate has since shown the most improvement and take on Swiss team Alinghi in the best-of-nine series with renewed confidence.

One of Oracle's most significant changes was also a painful one for syndicate head and U.S. software tycoon Larry Ellison, an accomplished ocean racer who was on board his boat for its early races.

Ellison hired some of the best sailors in the world, including America's Cup veterans Paul Cayard and John Cutler, multiple world maxi and world match-racing champion Chris Dickson and current match-racing champion Peter Holmberg.

Cayard was sidelined even before the challengers' series began and Oracle's start to the Cup was not a happy one with reports of personality clashes.

Ellison stepped in early in the second round robin and replaced skipper Holmberg with New Zealander Dickson, his forthright long-time sailing partner who had also been sidelined to shore duties.

But Dickson's first move was to force Ellison off the boat and recall Holmberg to the helm. The tactic worked as Dickson built a winning streak of 11 races through the second round robin and against its bitter U.S. rival OneWorld in the quarterfinals.

But that streak came to an abrupt end when it was thrashed 4-0 by Alinghi in the best-of-seven "double chance" semifinals group last month. The loss forced Oracle into the repechage where it again beat OneWorld 4-0 to reach the challengers' final.

While Alinghi has enjoyed rather smoother sailing -- losing just twice in 20 matches -- it too has endured problems.

Alinghi's syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli shocked the America's Cup world when, after a chance meeting with Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts, he lured Coutts to his $55- million challenge.

Coutts was joined by tactician Brad Butterworth and senior New Zealand crew Warwick Fleury and Simon Daubney, adding more invaluable local knowledge to Bertarelli's team.

Coutts and Butterworth led Team New Zealand to its 1995 America's Cup win and then its successful defense in 2000.