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Alinghi to appeal venue ban

Geneva - America's Cup holder Alinghi are still fighting for the right to defend their title in the Persian Gulf.

The Swiss-based syndicate said on Monday it will appeal last week's ruling by the New York Supreme Court rejecting the port of Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates as the site for the race against the American team BMW Oracle.

Alinghi referred to an earlier ruling from the same court that said its home yacht club, Societe Nautique de Geneve, can choose the venue.

"The choice of Ras Al-Khaimah was made based on the plain language of (the) May 2008 court order that ruled the location of the 33rd America's Cup Match to be in 'Valencia or any other location selected by the SNG'," Alinghi said in a statement.

Alinghi wants a fast-tracked decision to avoid a delay in the best-of-three series between the bitter rivals in February.

The New York court said the Cup's 19th-century rules, known as the Deed of Gift, mean racing can't be held in the Northern Hemisphere between November 1 and May 1.

However, Alinghi believes the expected February weather conditions in the UAE are suitable for sailing's signature event.

The California-based BMW Oracle had originally appealed Alinghi's choice - announced in August - because it says Ras al-Khaimah is too close to Iran and poses a security threat.

If the UAE is ruled unsuitable, then the Spanish port of Valencia appears the most likely venue.

Although it is also in the Northern Hemisphere, neither syndicate objected to Valencia earlier in the prolonged court battle over where, when and how to compete for sport's oldest piece of silverware.

Valencia hosted the 32nd America's Cup in 2007, when Alinghi defeated Team New Zealand to retain the trophy.

Almost immediately, the 33rd Cup became entrenched in legal arguments between billionaires Ernesto Bertarelli for Alinghi and BMW Oracle's Larry Ellison.

The two sides have spent more than two years arguing while building 27.4m (90-foot) multihull boats for racing.

The Alinghi 5 catamaran is undergoing sea trials in the Middle East, while BMW Oracle Racing's trimaran has been tested off the Pacific coast of the United States.

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