Yacht name: Alinghi 5
LWL: 90 ft • 27 m (LOA about 120 ft)
Built: Villeneuve, Switzerland
Architects: Rolf Vfroljik and Alinghi design team headed by Grant Simmer

Photo: LM • Genoa • September 2009

The new Alinghi 5 was flown down to Genoa from Geneva (over the Alps?!), suspended beneath a helicopter, after initial tests on Lac Leman. This shot was taken by Leandro at the Amico yard soon after it arrived. That's Azzurra II in front and Cuor di Leone behind.

As it stands, the 33rd America's Cup will see Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi team (Société Nautique de Genève) challenged by Larry Ellison's BMW Oracle team (Golden Gate Yacht Club) off the East coast of Australia in February 2010. Alinghi will be sailing their 90 ft sloop-rigged catamaran and Oracle sailing a similar-sized trimaran, BMW Oracle Racing 90.

Controversially, Alinghi's winches are electrically powered.

Given the insane amount of legal manoeuvring that has characterized this race, one can only assume the legal challenges are not yet over.

length - year: 120 - 2009

Yacht name: America (replica)
Year: 1967
Builder: Goody & Stevens
Architect: Olin Stephens • Sparkman & Stephens

Yacht name: America (original)
Length LOA: 21 m
Year: 1851 - 1945
Architect: George Steers
Builder: William H Brown, New York

The original America won the 1851 One Hundred Guinea Cup around the Isle of Wight, defeating 14 British yachts, for a syndicate from the New York Yacht Club. Her reverse bow, and sails laced to the mast, served as an inspiration to British designers for 25 years. She took part in the first America's Cup in 1870, coming 4th. Her last race was in 1901, after which she slowly fell into disrepair. She ended her days burned for firewood in 1945.

In 1967, the replica America was built by Sparkman & Stephens. It featured in a commercial for Schaffer brewery before being sold as a private yacht.

length - year: 1967

Yacht name: Alinghi (2007) • SUI 91 • SUI 100
Yacht Club: Société Nautique de Genève • Switzerland
Head & Skipper: Ernesto Bertarelli • Brad Butterworth
Designers: Rolf Vrolijk • Alinghi

Photo: Christophe Oliva • May 2007 • Valencia

As holders of the Cup, Alinghi chose the venue this year. Since Switzerland is landlocked and the rules specify that the event must be held on the sea, they chose Valencia in Spain. The first time the event has been raced in Europe for 156 years…

Alinghi wins 5-2 !

Christophe Oliva sent in this great set of photos of the teams preparing for the Louis Vuitton Cup, the qualifier to the America's Cup, in Valencia. Having now won the Louis Vuitton challenge, New Zealand will be racing against Alinghi in the best of 9 races starting on 23rd June and finishing on 9th July. The Auld Mug was first raced for around the Isle of Wight in 1851. This year marks the 32nd America's Cup. Each boat is 85 ft long or 24 m.

Yacht name: Emirates Team New Zealand (2007) • NZL 84 • NZL 92
Yacht Club: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron • New Zealand
Director & Skipper: Grant Dalton • Dean Barker
Design: Andy Claughton & ETNZ

Photo: Christophe Oliva • May 2007 • Valencia

New Zealand beat Luna Rossa in the Louis Vuitton Cup final, which qualified them to race against the incumbent Alinghi in the America's Cup

Yacht Name: (Prada) Luna Rossa (2007) • ITA 86 • ITA 94
Yacht Club: Yacht CLub Italiano • Italy
Head & Skipper: Patrizio Bertelli • Francesco de Angelis
Design: Luna Rossa Design

Photo: Christophe Oliva • May 2007 • Valencia

Yacht name: BMW Oracle Racing (2007) • USA 87 • USA 98
Yacht Club: Golden Gate Yacht Club • USA
Backer & Skipper: Larry Ellison • Chris Dickson
Design: BMW Oracle Racing

Photo: Christophe Oliva • May 2007 • Valencia

UK
Shamrock V
Velsheda
Endeavour
Endeavour II

US
Enterprise
Whirlwind
Weetamoe
Yankee
Rainbow
Ranger

23 m rule
Cambria
Astra
Candida

Replica
Ranger
Endeavour II
Rainbow
Lionheart

A provisional list of J Class yachts.
Please add corrections, additions, news, links etc in comments below.