Alinghi Declares Sui-64 For LV Cup Finals

Alinghi Declares Sui-64 For Louis Vuitton Cup Finals

Team Alinghi, the Swiss challenger for the America's Cup, announced SUI-64 to be the boat they will use in the Finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup. The Finals begin January 11, 2003 and consist of a best of nine series. Team Alinghi and Oracle BMW Racing will compete to be first to win five points. Previous rounds in the Louis Vuitton Cup were best of seven series.

The winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup must also sail the same boat they use in the Finals in the America's Cup. If Alinghi defeats Oracle BMW Racing, and wins the Louis Vuitton Cup, they will sail SUI-64 in the America's Cup against Team New Zealand, defending with either NZL-81 or NZL-82.

January 7, 2003 is the date of the official unveiling ceremony, in which these boats will be unveiled to the public and the media. Team New Zealand will also unveil one or both of their boats. The unveiling ceremony can be followed directly via the live Alinghi webcast beginning 8:45 local time. In other time zones, West Coast of the States: Monday 6, 11:45 am; East Coast of the States: Monday 6, 2:45 pm; United Kingdom: Monday 6, 19:45; Central Europe: Monday 6, 20:45.

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QUOTES FROM THE BOAT

GRANT SIMMER, DESIGN TEAM COORDINATOR - "We have developed SUI-75 and SUI-64 together, but the reason we are using 64 in the Final of the Louis Vuitton Cup is that we have continued to develop that boat and it is moded slightly differently. We expect a range of conditions in the Finals and we believe it is the best boat for us to perform throughout that wind range. The changes we've made since we launched the boat in November 2001 have constantly improved the boat, from the hull to the appendages. It was a tough decision between the two boats, and it's sad to see such a fast boat as SUI-75, that we have put so much effort into, won't be used in an official race."

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