Contesting Alinghi's choice of Challenger of Record after the 2007 defense, the U.S. team Oracle, founded by Larry Ellison, drags the Swiss team to court. After a lengthy legal battle the American team is allowed by the New York Supreme Court to race a challenge under the parameters of the Deed of Gift. In February 2010 two 90' multihulls take to the water in Valencia: Oracle's wingsail trimaran (with James Spithill in the cockpit) and Alinghi's catamaran. For the latter there is no hope: the Cup returns to the U.S., this time to San Francisco.