KEY POINTS:
Rumours and lies are all part of the America's Cup. Here are a few so far.
1. Russell Coutts will be at the helm of Alinghi in the America's Cup match. This rumour just will not go away. Coutts has said time and time again that there is
no chance he will rejoin his old team. Many are not convinced. It was rumoured that he was asked to return last year, something Coutts denies. Understandably he still has a lot of contact with his tight five - Brad Butterworth, Simon Daubney, Dean Phipps, Murray Jones and Warwick Fleury. It is also believed the Coutts relationship with Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli is not as strained as it used to be. All that probably amounts to nothing. But it's probably fair to say the current helmsmen at Alinghi - Ed Baird and Peter Holmberg - are not at Coutts' level. So if Alinghi's boat proves no faster than the challenger's wouldn't you want the most successful helmsman in history back on your boat?
2. If Team New Zealand win the America's Cup, they will defend it in Dubai. No chance. Grant Dalton would rather cut off his arms and agree not to swear for 10 years.
3. If Alinghi successfully defend the cup the next one will be in Dubai. Always a possibility. America's Cup management chief executive Michel Bonnefous has said the choice of venue is completely open.
4. That BMW Oracle Racing have been sandbagging, as far back as the loss to Team New Zealand in the final race of round robin two. Unlikely. Especially not now. Surely you would want to beat Luna Rossa 5-0 and give yourself.-
A: A break.
B: Time to prepare for the final.
C: The chance to save your sails and equipment.
And of course New Zealand skipper Chris Dickson just loves having syndicate boss Larry Ellison standing behind him as they cross the finish line in second place wearing that silent stare.
5. That someone has a canting keel. A series of questions to the measurer over the past year and a half indicates that one or maybe more of the teams is doing something with their keel. While a canting keel is illegal and unlikely, you can never be sure. But it's more likely a team has worked out a way of reducing the deflection of their keel fin. Something which could provide a crucial speed edge.
6. That Brit Ben Ainslie will replace Dean Barker at the helm of Team New Zealand down the track. Enough already. We appreciate that Ainslie could well be the best sailor of his generation but Barker is doing all right. He completely caned his opponents in the final match-racing regatta, so we know he has got it in him.
7. That the Kiwis in Alinghi will bail after this cup and join a new Asian-based team set up by Coutts. Maybe. But having competed in the America's Cup for two decades they must be reaching a point where it is time to call it a day. And seeing as they're leaving, they won't be feeling too disposed to see off Team New Zealand should they make it through the Louis Vuitton series to challenge for the cup.
8. That NZL92 suffered structural damage this year. Possibly. It does look a bit slow, doesn't it. NOT
