"100 million, though, in case you mistyped, I could believe."
You could be right, might have been million, not billion.
My point is still that money drives it - the boats and the races were just a way to get at controlling the money. Pity I can`t find that article again, must make a note to remember on which websites I read stuff.
My reference to the Orma 60 was just that, if Alinghi wanted to win the event, they could just have chosen a high wind venue and a boat that is moded to suit, in the southern hemisphere which is deed compliant, as they knew what BOR was bringing to the match, which is NOT a heavy air and big seastate boat. They had the advantage of being able to choose a venue after knowing what BOR looked like, surely they could see it would not cope with high winds? Instead they designed a boat that was even worse in that regard, and then squabbled their venue-choosing rights away. I really don`t get their thinking.
As an aside, could someone explain WHY Valencia was more deed-compliant than RAK ? I`m confused on this one. As far as I can read into the DoG (without all the amendments), the only stipulation is that it be a Southern Hemisphere event at the time of year it was held. I don`t get where, in the DoG, the challenger has the right to contest where the venue is held, assuming there is no mutual consent in these decisions.