'Mutual consent' meeting line-up

Three personnel each from Alinghi/SNG and BMW Oracle Racing/GGYC to meet on Thursday

Another tidbit has come to light about the meeting of the Societe Nautique de Geneve and the Golden Gate Yacht Club over a possible mutual consent 33rd America's Cup, that we have learned is to take place on Thursday this week in Geneva.

Alinghi have said this morning that attending the meeting from their side will be Brad Butterworth, America's Cup Management lawyer Lucien Masmejan and SNG Vice-Commodore Fred Meyer.

Alinghi have also said that they are hoping at this meeting to negotiate a mutual consent 33rd America's Cup - the implication of this is that they want a multi-challenger event.

Meanwhile the GGYC are sending BMW Oracle Racing lawyer and board member Melinda Erkelens, team General Council Richard Slater and designer Manolo Ruiz de Elvira (who it should be noted was with Alinghi until he was poached by BMW Oracle in late 2007...)

It is interesting to observe that the GGYC are fielding effectively two lawyers and a yacht designer and that neither Tom Ehman nor Russell Coutts are at present on the roster to attend the meeting, presumably in a bid to get the 'deal makers' around the table rather than the 'policy makers'. No bad thing probably.