America’s Cup victory 2003 – Alinghi enchants Switzerland and ensures Premiere – Sport

On March 2, 2003, Ernesto Bertarelli’s team was the first European team to triumph in the America’s Cup.

As a child, Ernesto Bertarelli had a dream: to win the America’s Cup, the oldest and most prestigious sailing regatta in the world. The Italian-Swiss businessman and billionaire achieved this major goal on March 2, 2003. Team Alinghi, which he founded and in which he was a navigator at all races, won the duel with defending champion Team New Zealand.

Coutts as a guarantee of success

To make the dream come true, Bertarelli brought the best people into his team. With the New Zealander Russell Coutts, the helmsman of the 2000 victorious Team New Zealand was committed. Tactician Brad Butterworth and other members of the reigning America’s Cup winner at the time followed the same path.

The opportunity to challenge the title holder first had to be earned in the Louis Vuitton Cup. Alinghi mastered this task with ease. Before Auckland, Coutts and Co. beat Italy’s Prada Challenge in the quarter-finals and BMW Oracle in the semi-finals, each with 4-0 victories. In the final in January 2003, Alinghi again defeated BMW Oracle 5-1.

Trophy for the first time in Europe

The duel for the trophy was also a sure thing. Bertarelli and his team didn’t give Team New Zealand a chance in the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland. Coutts led Alinghi to a 5-0 win over his former team. On March 2, 2003, not only did Bertarelli’s dream come true, the victory was also a premiere: No European yacht had ever won the America’s Cup, which has been held since 1851.

Legend:

Clear verdict

Alinghi doesn’t give Team New Zealand a chance.

imago images/Andreas Beil

Alinghi’s success story continued 4 years later. The Swiss team defended the title off Valencia with helmsman Ed Baird. In the final there was a 5:2 win against Team New Zealand.