Valencia looks almost certain to be the venue for the 2010 America's Cup after a New York appeals court rejected a bid by Alinghi to host the race in the United Arab Emirates.
Bloomberg reports that the ruling could mark the end of a two-year battle between Alinghi and US challengers BMW Oracle over the terms of the race.
Switzerland-based Alinghi made a statement after the ruling saying that it looked forward to racing in Valencia in February. As the defending champion, Alinghi has the choice of the venue for the race, under the race rules.
"Once again BMW Oracle's strategy to try to win the America's Cup in court instead of on the water has been successful. For the first time in the history of the America's Cup the defender has been stripped of its fundamental right to select the venue," said Fred Meyer of Societe Nautique de Geneve (SNG), Alinghi's home yacht club.
"Societe Nautique de Geneve accepts this decision and Alinghi is looking forward to racing for the America's Cup on the water in Valencia, Spain, in February 2010."
BMW Oracle, which sails under the colours of California's Golden GateYacht Club and is backed by Oracle Corp chief executive Larry Ellison, had objected to the UAE as a venue because it was already transporting equipment to Valencia.
