GENEVA, Switzerland -- The America's Cup trophy has gone on display at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday on the first leg of a world tour, Alinghi said on its Web site.

Alinghi, financed by Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, brought the coveted cup to Europe for the first time in its 152-year history earlier this month after crushing Team New Zealand 5-0.

The silver trophy has been on display in central Geneva since March 8, when 40,000 people turned out to give the multinational crew a heroes' welcome on their return from Auckland, New Zealand.

The trophy will also be displayed in the Swiss cities of Lugano, Zurich, Lucerne and capital Berne, Alinghi spokesman Bernard Schopfer told Reuters.

"After the Swiss tour, it will go on a world tour, with stops in Paris, Milan, Tokyo, New York and London," Schopfer said.

The cup is due to arrive back at the Yacht Club of Geneva (Societe Nautique de Geneva), Alinghi's base in late May, according to the Alinghi spokesman.

Alec Tournier, club secretary-general, said that various options were being studied to display the silver cup securely for public view.

Several European tycoons have tried over 15 decades to take back the trophy that the U.S. yacht America won by beating a fleet of British schooners around the Isle of Wight in 1851, but only Bertarelli has succeeded.

Alinghi began the long challengers series back in October 2002 as the clear favorites to win the right to take on Team New Zealand in the 31st America's Cup.

The Swiss syndicate lived up to the tag when it dominated the series, finishing two qualifying round robins as the leading team among the nine challengers after winning 13 of its 16 races.

It was then unbeaten in the first two knockout stages of the challengers regatta.

Alinghi beat defending Louis Vuitton Cup challengers champion Prada 4-0 in the quarter-finals and crushed U.S. software billionaire Larry Ellison's Oracle BMW Racing 4-0 in the semi-finals to become the first team to reach the challengers final.

Alinghi then beat Oracle again 5-1 in the challengers final to reach the 31st America's Cup match. Alinghi dominated the Cup match, helped by a disastrous defense for New Zealand, whose boat was clearly inferior.

Despite its win, Switzerland will not be able to host the Cup's defense. Under race rules the regatta must be held at sea, so the landlocked country is looking for a port in which to defend the Cup.

Italian-born Bertarelli has suggested several possible venues, including Naples, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Palma de Majorca, Spain; and Saint Tropez, France.


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