VALENCIA - Alinghi's celebrations after retaining yachting's biggest prize off Valencia have left a slightly unpleasant taste in the mouth, even among some Swiss.
Team New Zealand were largely neglected on Wednesday after the boats came back from the race course, where the defenders had completed a 5-2victory to keep hold of the America's Cup.
Swiss newspaper Le Temps today made reference to the New Zealanders' absence at the trophy presentation and also at the official post-match news conference with international media, where the stage belonged to Alighi boss Ernesto Bertarelli and his crew.
Le Temps pointed out that, when Alinghi were handed the Auld Mug, their whole team were on hand to be showered by accolades, champagne and red rose petals.
"It can be regretted, on the other hand, that the men of Team NZ weren't invited to take part," it said.
"To think that the organisers wanted to apply to the letter the famous slogan 'there is no second'. A New Zealand crew who, furthermore, were not part of confession time with the press. A pity. And, we admit, not very fair play."
One British journalist described the way Team NZ had been treated as "sheer bad manners".
Team NZ director Jim Farmer QC said the syndicate weren't put out by what happened, but things would have been different if the regatta had been held in New Zealand.
He said the America's Cup was quite ruthless and teams who were eliminated were forgotten quickly.
"So you could say that what they did was consistent with that, but that's not the way we would have done it," he said.
"In New Zealand, sportsmanship would have demanded that we celebrate with the people we've just beaten."
When Team NZ got past Luna Rossa in the Louis Vuitton Cup challengers' final last month, they invited members of the Italian syndicate back to their base, Farmer said.
They were no such invitations from Alinghi last night, "not that it mattered, because we had our own informal drinks".
He admitted he was surprised when he arrived at the press conference room to observe proceedings and found that only Bertarelli and four of his fellow sailors on stage.
"It wasn't quite what I expected."
Team NZ decided not to take part in a formal news conference at a separate time, but made themselves available to New Zealand media at their base.
In 2000, when Team NZ successfully defended the cup in Auckland, defeated challengers Luna Rossa were publicly lauded for their efforts, something those involved in the Italian campaign haven't forgotten.
In 2003, when Team NZ lost the cup to Alinghi, members of both syndicates attended a joint post-match media conference.
View photos
Should Team New Zealand mount another challenge? Is Brad NZ's best sportsperson?
Send us your views
Read Your Views