NetNews

The only American on the Swiss team that won the America's Cup is a St. Lawrence graduate, and it's the second time he's been part of the team that won the Cup.

Josh Belsky '89 is the "pitman" for Team Alinghi, which defeated Team New Zealand, 5-0, in March to with the America's Cup. He is the only American on the crew, and appeared at a recent press conference in New York with team tactician Brad Butterworth, when the Cup "toured" the New York Yacht Club.

Belsky and Butterworth announced that Alinghi plans to hold an America's Cup class regatta off Newport, R.I., sometime in 2004. Alinghi will also play host to a series of regattas in the Mediterranean in 2006-7, culminating with an America's Cup class world championship, which will count toward seeding for the next Cup.

Alinghi is studying eight cities in Europe as possible sites for the next Cup, which is expected to take place in 2007; a final announcement may be made late this year.

Team Alinghi plans to race its yacht SUI-64 against Oracle-BMW's USA-76 in San Francisco Bay this September, in a rematch of the Louis Vuitton Challenger series. Larry Ellison's Oracle team is serving as the challenger of record for the next America's Cup, and it is negotiating the format of the event with Alinghi.

Belsky began his involvement with the America's Cup in 1992, as a pitman on board the America3. He is the only American to win both the 1998 Whitbread Round the World Race and the 1992 America's Cup, sailing on board the winning boats during both races. Belsky also worked as pitman on the Stars & Stripes in the 1995 America's Cup. His St. Lawrence degree is in sociology.

Posted: July 9, 2003