/world sport
CNN -- Defending champions Alinghi have made concessions over future rules changes for the next America's Cup in 2009 in an attempt to fend off criticism by challenging syndicates.
Alinghi triumphed again in the 2007 edition of the America's Cup.
In particular, The Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco, representing the BMW Oracle syndicate, have already launched a legal challenge to the changes in a New York court, and the first ruling is due in October.
Alinghi and their Swiss yacht club Societe Nautique de Geneve said in a statement that the "majority" of BMW Oracle's concerns had been addressed and they renewed their appeal for the team to drop their legal bid which threatens to derail the event.
The amended rules reduce the powers that the organizers of the race, AC Management, have to disqualify or reject a competitor, change the protocol governing the race or remove members of the arbitration panel.
But the concessioins do not appear to address all the aspects that Larry Ellison's BMW Oracle team are unhappy with.
'The fact that under the current protocol the defender can sail against the challengers right up to the semifinals must surely remain of concern, 'said Yachting World.
Alinghi retained the Cup in July by beating Emirates Team New Zealand and will return to Valencia for their defense. E-mail to a friend 
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