 Coutts could be set to leave Alinghi |
America's Cup-winning skipper Russell Coutts has decided not to race for Alinghi in the UBS Trophy, fuelling rumours he is set to quit the team. The New Zealander led the Swiss outfit to victory over Team New Zealand in the 2002 America's Cup in Auckland.
"We hoped that Russell Coutts would be helming and leading us to victory at the UBS Trophy," said Alinghi.
"He clearly decided not to helm. We therefore have decided to rely on Peter Holmberg and Jochen Schuemann."
The UBS Trophy is a match-racing regatta between Alinghi and America's Cup challengers BMW Oracle in Newport, Rhode Island.
Coutts, an Olympic gold medallist at Los Angeles in 1984, also steered New Zealand's Black Magic to victory in the America's Cup in San Diego in 1995.
He then orchestrated the Cup's defence in Auckland in 2000 before defecting to Alinghi, financed by Swiss bio-technology billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli.
Two years later, Alinghi whitewashed Team New Zealand 5-0 to become the first challengers in history to win the America's Cup on their first attempt.
They also brought the Cup back to Europe for the first time in the event's 152-year history.
MMIX
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