By JULIE ASH
Victory Challenge are packing up and heading home, confident the America's Cup arbitration panel will dismiss attempts to have Seattle syndicate OneWorld thrown out of the Louis Vuitton challenger series.
The Swedes were eliminated on Friday, losing to Prada 4-0 in the quarter-final repechage.
"We are at the end of our challenge," Victory Challenge project manager Mats Johansson said yesterday.
Should the arbitration panel decide to eject OneWorld after claims the syndicate used other teams' design information, there is nothing stopping GBR Challenge, Victory or even Le Defi Areva from seeking a recall.
But Johansson believes a return for his team is highly unlikely.
"There is a small chance, maybe a 1 per cent possibility, we will race again, but I don't think so."
The panel meets this weekend to hear evidence on the claims.
Johansson rejected suggestions that the Swedes might stay in Auckland and race Team New Zealand. "We can race against Team New Zealand if we want to. It is a free world. But it is not our plan to do so."
Peter Gilmour and Nippon Challenge got offside with the challengers last time when they chose to stay on and race Team New Zealand.
"We have a good relationship with Team New Zealand, but I think we are finished now and there is no reason for us to stay here and race against other teams," Johansson said.
After a 10-year break from the America's Cup, the Swedes would be happy with their efforts.
They finished fifth after the double round-robin competition with seven wins from 16 races.
They beat the French challenge Le Defi Areva 4-1 in the quarter-finals before plummeting to their loss to Prada, the defending Louis Vuitton Cup champions.
"It has been a good experience for us," Johansson said. "We have learned a lot throughout the course of the event which will make us stronger if we decide to continue."
It was too early to comment on Victory Challenge's future.
"There is a good platform to continue for another challenge. But I would expect the answer to come from the owners in March after we see where the cup is."
Looking ahead, Johansson said he expected Alinghi, and either Oracle BMW Racing or OneWorld, to line up in the challenger series final.
"I believe Alinghi will be really strong. They have good speed and good experience, especially in the afterguard with Russell [Coutts] and Brad [Butterworth].
"Prada are a good team, too. They beat us 4-0, but you have got to remember that we were leading them in four of our last six races.
"Their speed is not as good as Oracle's, OneWorld's or Alinghi's. Prada can progress, but just now the other three are faster."
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Swedes leave others to squabble
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