Ernesto Bertarelli, the billionaire head of Alinghi, hoisted the silver trophy at the aircraft door. He was applauded by fans and a government delegation while the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Can't Stop" played from loudspeakers.

"I'm enormously proud to be here in Geneva with you for the second time," said Bertarelli, who made Switzerland the first European nation to successfully defend the title in yachting's premier event. "This cup was much more difficult than the previous one, probably because the Swiss got passionate about the regatta."

Bertarelli, skipper Brad Butterworth, helmsman Ed Baird and the rest of the 130-member Alinghi crew, were greeted by Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey next to the aircraft.

Thousands of fans gathered for a party with fireworks and a concert on the shores of Lake Geneva before the team was to continue its homecoming tour to the Swiss cities of Zurich, Bern and Lugano later this week.

"The America's Cup stays in Switzerland and we are very proud," said Calmy-Rey, adding that Alinghi's victory was a symbol of Swiss innovation and cultural diversity.

The landlocked nation scored a major upset in 2003 by taking the cup from the Kiwis, bringing sport's oldest international trophy to Europe for the first time in more than 150 years.

Alinghi's dramatic one-second win over Emirates Team New Zealand on Tuesday in Valencia, Spain, ended the closest America's Cup regatta in 24 years, with the Swiss winning 5-2. Australia II's comeback victory over the American boat Liberty in 1983 was the last time a series was as tight.

Bertarelli was the only Swiss aboard Alinghi on Tuesday — and even he was born in Italy. The rest of the winning team was made up of six New Zealanders, three Americans, two Italians, and one each from Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and Spain.

Alinghi, which was founded by Bertarelli in 2000, has crew members from 20 different countries.

The 41-year-old Bertarelli, who was listed the richest Swiss in 2006 by Forbes magazine, said he planned to defend the cup with roughly the same team. But he declined to say whether the next cup will be held in two or four years and whether it will be hosted by Valencia again or another city.

Alinghi on Thursday announced that a new class of boat will sail at the next America's Cup. The new class rule, the first since the 1992 competition, will see the carbon-fiber boats extended by 10 feet to 90 feet, with a crew of up to 21 instead of 18.

The winner has the right to decide the rules of the next race, its location and timing — usually within three to four years. Alinghi has said it's thinking of staging the next event in two years.

Bertarelli has devoted himself exclusively to managing Alinghi after he sold his family's biotech company Serono to German drug maker Merck in January. He declined to say if he has other projects in mind.