Court backs America's Cup in Valencia in February

A New York court has backed the staging of the next America's Cup in the Spanish port of Valencia in February, but doubt still remains over the venue for the duel between defender Alinghi and US challenger Oracle.

The Supreme Court of the State of New York reached its decision after experts advised that the event can be "safely managed" at the site in mid-winter, when weather conditions can be unpredictable, according to a copy of the ruling.

Both Alinghi and Oracle have stated they are ready to hold their best-of-three multihull showdown in February in Valencia, where the Swiss team won the last edition of yachting's most prestigious event in 2007.

However, it was still uncertain whether the 33rd America's Cup can go ahead there as planned, or will instead take place in the Gulf emirate of Ras al-Khaimah.

Ras al-Khaimah was Alinghi's original choice for the event, but the New York court declared the venue invalid, a decision which Alinghi has appealed.

"It's Valencia in February unless the separate appeal over Ras al-Khaimah is successful," an Oracle spokesman told AFP.

The court has also ruled in Oracle's favour on a number of technical issues.

"This is a victory for fair rules and common sense," Tom Ehman, spokesman for Oracle representative, the Golden Gate Yacht Club, said in a statement.

Alinghi said in a brief statement that the court "has brought a degree more certainty to the 33rd America's Cup."

Alinghi and Oracle, owned respectively by Swiss biotech billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli and American computer billionaire Larry Ellison, have been locked in a legal battle over the event for more than two years.

Oracle first launched a legal challenge that accused Alinghi, which as defending champion is charged with organising the next event, of bending the rules to give it an unfair advantage.

The New York Supreme Court ruled in April that the Cup should be settled by a one-on-one multihull duel between the two sides next February instead of the traditional fully-fledged regatta with several teams.

But the two have remained in dispute over the venue.