Dubai: Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth hailed his team's guts and spirit following the fantastic America's Cup win in Valencia late on Tuesday.
"This is a fantastic day for Alinghi, to win the America's Cup again after four years of hard work. The crew, the designers and the shore team have done an incredible job throughout the series," team skipper Brad Butterworth told Gulf News a day after the Swiss Syndicate won the seventh match against Emirates Team New Zealand to retain the America's Cup 5-2.
Butterworth acknowledged that the victory was not easy. "We fought hard against a strong Challenger and won."
Alinghi wrapped up the exciting best-of-nine series against Emirates Team New Zealand with a nail-biting win in the seventh race on Tuesday.
Alinghi were the first European team to win the America's Cup in 2003 and now they have also become the first European team to successfully defend the title.
The Swiss team join Team Dennis Conner and Team New Zealand as the only crews in Cup history to win as a Challenger and Defender.
The 32nd edition of the America's Cup will be remembered for its excitement and drama spanning four years.
Tightening of America's Cup Class Rule helped in producing a highly-competitive racing. The differences were slight as Emirates Team New Zealand was a well prepared team with a quick boat and solid crew work.
And Grant Simmer, Alinghi's managing director and design team coordinator, agreed. "Even though the boats are not similar, in terms of appendage packages and hull shapes, we thought it would be close," said Simmer.
"The difference between the teams is very narrow...it is now a contest of metres...It's so close now, that every centimetre is significant."
The winning team has already decided on their celebrations.
In their desire to bring the Cup to the people, Alinghi will be doing a 'homecoming tour' of Switzerland with the trophy, starting at the Parc de Eaux Vives in Geneva on July 8.
This homecoming festival coincides with the 150th anniversary of the creation of the America's Cup event and will be open to the public.
From there, members of the team and the America's Cup will tour Zurich (July 10), Bern (July 12) and Lugano (July 14) to meet the public and recount the adventures of this victorious 32nd America's Cup campaign.
The team also plan to visit other countries and continents over the next few months to give sailing and sports fans worldwide the opportunity to see the Auld Mug.
