BMW Oracle stuns Alinghi

US challenger BMW Oracle won the opening race of the 33rd America's Cup yesterday, beating Swiss holders Alinghi by almost 4 km in a stunning display of hi-tech sailing.

Software mogul Larry Ellison's BMW Oracle started badly but was clearly faster than Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi and opened a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series with surprising ease.

The American trimaran finished the 40 km course more than 15 minutes ahead of Alinghi, reaching speeds of more than 20 knots with two of its three carbon-fibre hulls raised high out of the water.

The second race between the giant multi-hull yachts is scheduled for tomorrow off the Spanish port city of Valencia.

BMW Oracle skipper James Spithill lured Alinghi into a penalty during aggressive pre-start manoeuvres, the Swiss boat with Bertarelli at the helm failing to give way just before the starting gun at 2.25 p.m.

Spithill then appeared to undo his good work, stalling at the line as Alinghi surged ahead in winds of between six and 10 knots. But BMW Oracle, with its unique wing-shaped mast and mainsail configuration, soon made up the distance on Alinghi and the American boat was 3 minutes 21 seconds ahead at the halfway mark.

Alinghi had been thought to be faster in lighter conditions but BMW Oracle showed a clear advantage over the Swiss catamaran both upwind and downwind, making clear that Bertarelli's hold on the America's Cup may be slipping.