According to the latest rumors from Valencia, the first contacts between Alinghi and BMW Oracle are taking place.

It must be said that, since their victory at the NY Court, the Americans are actively implementing a very effective action plan clearly intended to force the Defender to negociate under their conditions.

Strangled by the uncertainty which has hung over the America's Cup since many months now, the challengers seem to be taking up the BMW Oracle's cause and they mostly seem to agree for "a conventional America's Cup competition in Valencia in 2009".

A meeting was organized today by BMW Oracle in Valencia with twenty-four representatives of 14 challengers (with Luna Rossa and Victory Challenge), during which the question of the schedule was surely discussed.

Another point on the Order of Business must be the "B plan" newly appeared in letters send by Russell Coutts to both the challengers and Alinghi, which were "leaked" last week.

If Alinghi and BMW Oracle face each other on catamarans next July, the other challengers will be sidelined and, to limit the "collateral damages" that resulted from this new "Mismatch", Russell Coutts says that he wants BMW Oracle and Alinghi to commit to an AC 34, in Valencia, in 2011.

"It was a very good meeting", said GGYC spokesperson Tom Ehman following the meeting. "The challengers agree that certainty is needed to return to a conventional America’s Cup regatta and we are committed to working together to get the event back on track".

Anyway, as they know they are accused of refusing to negociate a compromise, Alinghi couldn’t stand the silence any longer.