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Kiwis aim to win Cup from NZ

Coutts was chosen partly for his ability to assemble a first-rate crew

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (CNN) -- Two veteran America's Cup sailors will be attempting to win the cup from their own country when the challenge series begins in October.

New Zealanders Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth successfully retained the America's Cup in 2000 with Team New Zealand, but within weeks had transferred to rival Swiss syndicate Alinghi.

The move by the skipper and tactician prompted a national outrage amid rumours about the control of the team and money.

Coutts, now executive director and skipper of Alinghi, said he could understand the New Zealand public's reaction.

"As time has gone on and people have began to understand some of the reasons why we left, then I think there's an acceptance. Certainly in terms of the modern cup, the number of people that are sailing for difference syndicates, a variety of nationalities, I actually think it's making it a better event, it's a stronger event and this next one will be the best one yet."

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Alinghi tactician Butterworth shared Coutts' opinion.

"We decided to move on and some people disagreed with that and I can understand that being parochial New Zealanders, you've got to back the home team, and that's fair enough.

"I don't expect people to like us, but I think hopefully they will respect us if they see how good our team is going to be."

Swiss millionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, president of Alinghi and himself a successful sailor hoping to join the team, was instrumental in getting Coutts on board.

"You can always build one [a boat], you can always change a boat, but to find the right people and the right experience and build a strong team is the most important thing.

"And one thing that Russell really achieved is putting together a team of very normal people, decent people, good human beings and that is the most important thing."

Alinghi's budget of $55 million is almost twice that of champions Team New Zealand and they have a state-of-the-art base in the Auckland America's Cup village, including a gym.

"The fact that we have set up this gym here in the base makes us gain perhaps around half and hour a day. That is very big for us because the main resource we need is time," Alinghi executive director Michel Bonnefous said.

A smooth-running base is important, said Coutts.

"It's a sport but it involves a lot of science and technology as well.

"You need to be well organised, you need to have your design, your manufacturing, your boat construction and I guess we all have to have a legal department these days. All of that has to be functioning well and you can't really have any inherent weaknesses in any of those areas."

Foredeck sailor Curtis Blewett agrees, describing the competition as a battle.

"Every day is a little battle and the whole thing is just like a two-year war and you just have to make the most out of very minute for two years and good management mixed with good athletes...and it's just tough."

But for all their Swiss efficiency, Alinghi has overlooked one thing. If they win the Cup, they will not be able to defend it in Switzerland – it's landlocked.

But with Coutts' help, Europe could be hosting its first America's Cup in more than a 150 years.