Alinghi rejects Oracle accusation over its yacht

MADRID (AFP) - Swiss defending champion Alinghi on Wednesday rejected accusations by US challenger Oracle that its boat for their multihull duel slated for February did not meet the event's nationality rules.

Oracle on Tuesday that the Alinghi 5 had been "sailing continually" with sails made in Nevada and it had asked an international jury recently appointed by the International Sailing Federation to rule on the matter.

But in a statement, Alinghi said Oracle's accusations were "simply false" as the its boat "was built in Switzerland and so are its sails".

Alinghi vice-commodore Fred Meyer accused Oracle of continuing "to pursue its attempt to win the America's Cup in court rather than on the race course."

The two sides have been arguing over the rules of the America's Cup in court since Alinghi won the last edition of the yacht race, often referred to as sailing's Formula One, in the Spanish port of Valencia in 2007.

Earlier this month The Supreme Court of the State of New York ruled that the 33rd America's Cup must be held in the Spanish port of Valencia in February, rejecting an appeal by Alinghi which favoured the Gulf emirate of Ras al-Khaimah.

Under the 1887 Deed of Gift which outlines the rules for the yacht race, the participating vessels must be constructed in the country where the sailing club which they represent is located.

The issue has never been properly tested in previous Cups and some have interpreted the word "constructed" in the Deed to mean "designed and built".