Alinghi's boat flown over Alps to reach the sea

The giant catamaran built by America's Cup champion Alinghi to defend the trophy was hoisted off Lake Geneva on Friday and flown over the Alps to the sea. Alinghi 5 was wrapped in a cradle of ropes and tethered to the world's most powerful helicopter, a Russian MI-26 military transporter. The 90-foot catamaran was airborne under clear blue skies at 9:10 a.m. local time to begin the journey from its boatyard at Le Bouveret to Genoa on Italy's Mediterranean coast. The catamaran that won 2007 America Cup is now eyeing American Cup of 2010.