Swiss fume over possible auction of remnants of Cup

The Swiss holders of the America's Cup, Alinghi, are said to be fuming over a plan in New Zealand to hold a fund-raising auction that would sell silver remnants of the original trophy, first presented in 1851 and symbolizing supremacy in international yacht racing.

According to letters between Grant Dalton, Team New Zealand's managing director, David Charlesworth, commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and Stephen Fisher, chairman of the charitable trust Spirit of Adventure, the plan would raise money for a sailing event aimed at New Zealand youth.

But the Swiss, who won the America's Cup by beating New Zealand in 2003, claim the silver remnants of the Cup, with their historic import, do not belong to New Zealand, which capture the Cup in California in 1995 and succesfully defended it in 2000 , and cannot be auctioned off for any reason.

In 1997, the America's Cup -- first won by the schooner America in 1851 and on display in Auckland -- was badly damaged by a sledgehammer-wielding activist protesting the plight of Aboriginal people in New Zealand. The nickel-silver chalice was then sent to Garrards jewelers of London for reconstruction.

During the work, some of the panels bearing the names of winners and course descriptions had to be reproduced, and the originals remained at Garrards. Last spring, they surfaced in New Zealand.

``Congratulations on salvaging an original piece of silverware from the America's Cup," wrote Dalton to Fisher. ``The idea of using this piece of the Cup to raise funds for the Spirit of New Zealand Trust is inspired. The only real issue I have with the idea is that I didn't think of it myself."

Unlike many top international sporting events, the America's Cup has no independent commission or administrative body, but the original deed of gift drawn up by the New York Yacht Club after the United States beat Great Britain in 1851 is administered by the country that holds the Cup. Hence, the Swiss club Societe Nautique de Geneva (SNG) is the current holder of the Cup.

Although the Swiss have not yet officially responded to New Zealand's plan, according to sources in the America's Cup hierarchy, SNG plans to oppose the auction vigorously, and take the position that New Zealand's possession of pieces of the Cup is illegal.

Next summer, the 32d America's Cup will be raced in Valencia, Spain, with Alinghi taking on 11 challengers from around the world.

Tony Chamberlain can be reached at chamberlain@globe.com