America’s Cup defender Alinghi today confirmed that Emirates Team New Zealand (TNZ) had withdrawn its lawsuit against Ernesto Bertarelli, AC Management and the Société Nautique de Genève. They will now join all the other entered challengers in the process of planning the 33rd America’s Cup – starting tomorrow at the Competitor Meeting in Geneva.

Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth welcomed this new development: “It is good news that Grant Dalton and TNZ have at last stopped legal proceedings. It is great that they have seen that the legal route leads nowhere and are returning to the sport with all the other teams. We look forward to the Competitor Meetings in Geneva and to further progressing – as a group that includes the Defender and the challengers – towards getting the competition back on the water.”

“Having TNZ join the Competitor Meetings and push forward with constructive discussions alongside many other entered challengers for a 2010 event in a new class of more affordable boats is progress indeed. We welcome them back,” concluded Butterworth.