America's Cup cake: Swiss bliss as Alinghi's sweep makes history

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The stodgy old America's Cup has a new home, in a country without an ocean.

Would you believe the America's Cup atop the Matterhorn?

Landlocked Switzerland became the first European country to win the 152-year-old silver trophy yesterday, a historic victory by a crew loaded with New Zealanders who had been branded as traitors.

Skipper Russell Coutts took the cup from the country he brought it to in 1995, steering the whimsically named sloop Alinghi to a five-race sweep against hard-luck Team New Zealand, the two-time defending champion.

"I am a New Zealander. Make no bones about that," Coutts said during the champagne-splashed tow back to port. "But I am immensely proud of what we've achieved at Alinghi. It's been a lot of hard work for me, and as a professional sailor, frankly, I'm proud of what I've done."

Several European tycoons tried unsuccessfully over 15 decades to take back the trophy that the yacht America won by beating a fleet of British schooners around the Isle of Wight in 1851. The one who finally won sailing's biggest prize was Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli, a 37-year-old biotech billionaire who scooped up the best Kiwi sailors his money could buy.

With no coastline, the Swiss will have to defend the oldest trophy in international sports elsewhere in Europe, probably in 2007 and somewhere on the Mediterranean or Atlantic.

"I'll do my best to make it the most unbelievable event," said Bertarelli, the first first-time challenger to hoist the cup. "I really love the sport of sailing. I think more people should learn about it, and if I can contribute to that, I'll do all I can for it."

On a perfect day on the Hauraki Gulf, between Rangitoto and Tiritiri Matangi islands, Coutts again outsailed his former protege, Dean Barker, and led the entire race to end the long, bitter regatta.

Alinghi's winning margin in Race 5 was 45 seconds. The normally pokerfaced Coutts smiled and waved to a support boat as the black sloop with red swirls crossed the line.

Bertarelli started the celebration a few hundred yards before the finish. The champagne arrived moments after the finish, and Alinghi's crew hoisted a banner showing the America's Cup atop the Matterhorn, with the saying: "We did it!!!" They also hoisted a broom to celebrate the sweep. Supporters clanged cowbells and waved red-and-white Swiss flags.

Coutts, 41, capped a remarkable feat by sailing unbeaten through his third straight cup match. He has won a record 14 straight races to join the greatest skippers in the event's colorful history.

"We really didn't have any big weaknesses," Coutts said. "If you had looked at us in November 2000, you would have said, 'There's no way Alinghi can win the cup.' But somehow we (won)."