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Alinghi ready for tough Oracle
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (CNN) -- Top-ranked Louis Vuitton Cup contender Alinghi expects a close contest against Oracle BMW Racing when the semifinals begin on Monday. Swiss team Alinghi have performed well throughout almost 2-1/2 months of racing for the Louis Vuitton Cup, finishing top after the round robins and the quarterfinals. Alinghi's New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts expected U.S. team Oracle to begin the semifinals confidently after beating fellow Americans OneWorld in the quarterfinal. OneWorld will race Italian team Prada in the other semifinal pairing if the America's Cup Arbitration Panel allows it to continue racing in the competition. The panel is due to meet at the weekend to hear allegations from Prada and eliminated Team Dennis Conner that OneWorld used designs from other syndicates. "We're expecting some very tough races against Oracle BMW racing," Coutts said. "Oracle are a team with many strengths and not too many weaknesses and we've seen that they recover extremely well after a problem, such as a broken pole. "We expect that they've made modifications to their boat and the racing is going to be extremely close." He described the addition of fellow Kiwi sailor Chris Dickson to the Oracle team as working "extremely well" for the team. "There's no doubt that Chris has strengthened the Oracle team. Before he came back they were at a stage where they had lost some races and perhaps needed an outside opinion to steady the ship again." Major modifications had been made to one of the two Alinghi boats during the three weeks since the quarterfinals finished, Coutts said. While the panel's ruling could affect the rest of the competition, Coutts said he had not been paying much attention to it. "I do think it's detrimental for the cup. Everyone wants to see this battle resolved on the water and I disagree with comments that suggest lawyers determine the outcome of the cup." The winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup will go on to challenge Team New Zealand for the America's Cup in February.
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