Alinghi of Switzerland has confirmed it will use a giant catamaran when it defends the America's Cup against bitter U.S. rival BMW Oracle Racing early next year.

The catamaran is 90 feet long on the waterline, but a bowsprit makes it much longer. The high-tech craft was built in Villeneuve, Switzerland, and will be launched by helicopter on Lake Geneva this coming week before undergoing testing.

Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing of San Francisco are scheduled to meet in a best-of-3 series next February in massive multihulls. Alinghi gets to pick the venue. It reportedly is considering Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where its catamaran could excel in light wind and flat water.