Please select your home edition
Edition
PredictWind - GO! exec 728x90 TOP

illbruck Challenge Sails Maiden Voyage with New Race Boat

by Lizzie Green on 23 May 2001
illbruck Challenge syndicate chairman Michael Illbruck and skipper John
Kostecki shared the helm of the new illbruck during the maiden voyage this
weekend of the team's race boat for the Volvo Ocean Race. The illbruck
Challenge team launched the new custom-built illbruck Volvo Ocean 60 from
their training base in Charleston, S.C.

The team took the new boat through the paces with one of the illbruck Volvo
60 training boats in the Atlantic Ocean off Charleston. Threatening rain
showers held off as the boats sailed in a fresh 15-18 knots and moderate
seas. The launch was celebrated with a brief dockside ceremony and a
family barbecue at the base in Charleston on Sunday.

'Today marks another major milestone in the program,' said Michael
Illbruck. 'For four years, we have planned for this. We watched the boat
take shape during the months of construction at our company facility in
Leverkusen, Germany. To be here with the team for the first day of sailing
has been fantastic. I'm proud of the team and all of the work they have
done to get to this point,' Illbruck said.

'We are really happy with the new boat,' Kostecki said. 'The boat feels
great and is performing well right out of the box. While there is still
work to do to make our new boat race-ready, we are exactly where we wanted
to be four months away from the start of the Volvo Ocean Race. We will
continue to optimise the new boat here in Charleston, tuning her up with
our two training boats until we realize the full potential of our next
generation Volvo 60.'

illbruck Challenge is a competitive international sailing programme that
over the past 30 years has earned success at many of the world's top
regattas. The illbruck Challenge is now pursuing the world's two pinnacle
sailing events: the Volvo Ocean Race, the world's premier ocean race, and
the America's Cup, the world's top match racing event. The illbruck
Challenge is representing the Duesseldorf Yacht Club in Germany's
first-ever Challenge for the America's Cup, the competition for the oldest
international trophy in sport.

About illbruck GmbH
illbruck GmbH is a privately held international company with autonomous
business units including Automotive, Sealant Systems, Sanitary Technology,
Architectural Surfaces, and Filtration Systems/Insulation Systems. Founded
in 1952, illbruck has 35 locations in15 countries worldwide and is
headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany. The illbruck Challenge embodies the
philosophy of the illbruck company: sucess through motivation, flexibility
and team spirit. The illbruck Challenge is the image medium and primary
vehicle for illbruck's
global and internal corporate identification.

For further information on the illbruck Challenge, please contact
Jane Eagleson, Director Marketing Communications
Tel: +49-174-978-5273
Email: JEagleson@illbruckchallenge.com

www.illbruckchallenge.com

For further information on the Volvo Ocean Race please contact:
Lizzie Green, Race Press Officer
Direct Line: +44 1489 554 832
Switchboard: +44 1489 564 555
Mobile: +44 7801 185 320
Fax: +44 1489 564 333
Email: Lizzie.Green@volvo.com
Website www.VolvoOceanRace.org

Andreas Hanakamp, Press Officer
Direct Line: +44 1489 554 833
Mobile: +44 7787 562 404
Email: andreas.hanakamp@consultant.volvo.com

For images, please contact:
Volvo Ocean Race Picture Desk - Patrick Anderson
Tel: +44 1489 554867
Fax: +44 1489 564 333
Email: patrick@vsnl.com

For broadcast enquiries please contact:
Granada Sport
Jim Raven
Tel: +44 2380 222555
Email: ravenhj@meridiantv.com
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_cruise BOTTOMAllen Dynamic 40 FooterC-Tech 2021 (Spars-QFX Racer) 728x90 BOTTOM

Related Articles

Ferrari Hypersail unveiled
The Prancing Horse enters the world of sailing Ferrari today unveils its new Ferrari Hypersail project, an unprecedented sporting challenge in the world of sailing that blends racing tradition with technological innovation.
Posted today at 2:56 pm A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more...
Posted today at 1:30 pm Marion Bermuda Race update
Light breeze made Redwood's strategy of chasing the wind deliver them across the finish line first. The Ker 50 Redwood, skippered by Beverly Yacht Club Member Pike Severance, crossed the Marion Bermuda Race finish line off of St. David's Head in Bermuda this morning at 7:13 with an elapsed sailing time of 4d 18h 33m 42s.
Posted today at 11:53 am 2025 X-Yachts Aurum Cup
Magnificent blue skies... but some tricky wind conditions! The 2025 X-Yachts Aurum Cup was held in Sydney over the weekend in magnificent blue skies... but some tricky wind conditions!
Posted today at 8:11 am C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic & Regatta
23rd edition of the event is in the books The 23rd C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta wrapped up in Newport, Rhode Island on June 22nd for the 30 sailors with disabilities, after three days of competitive racing and camaraderie along with a two-day coaching clinic.
Posted today at 5:44 am 31st Block Island Race Week Day 2
Regatta Craft Mixers Race Day turns up the heat Regatta Craft Mixers Race Day turned up the heat at Block Island Race Week—literally. The Island was not spared from the heat wave sweeping the East Coast this week, but that did not put a stop to the action out on the water.
Posted today at 12:14 am Triple amputee crosses Pacific solo & unsupported
33-year-old former Army rifleman from Doncaster, Craig Wood, has today made history 33-year-old former Army rifleman from Doncaster, Craig Wood, has today made history by becoming the world's first triple amputee to sail solo, non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific.
Posted on 24 Jun Kieler Woche Day 5
Tuesday served as a warm-up for the hot finale of Kieler Woche Sophie Steinlein and Catherine Bartelheimer from Bavaria in the skiff, as well as Kiel native Fabian Wolf on the foiling windsurf board, will enter Wednesday's (June 25) medal races as leaders.
Posted on 24 Jun iQFOiL International Games at Kiel day 4
Medal series line-up confirmed as wind hits hard in Kiel The fourth and penultimate day of the 3rd iQFOiL International Games in Kiel delivered full-throttle action as athletes across the Senior, Youth, and Junior fleets raced to secure their spots in the all-important Medal Series.
Posted on 24 Jun 44Cup Marstrand 2025 starts tomorrow
Fleet back up to 12 on eve of breezy Marstrand event While the RC44s were up to 11 for the last event in Porto Cervo, for this week's 44Cup Marstrand, scheduled to set sail tomorrow from the breezy west coast of Sweden, the fleet has now grown to 12.
Posted on 24 Jun
This site and its contents are Copyright © 2025 Sail-World Sail-World USA and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved. Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph contact the photographer directly.
If you have any questions about advertising or editorial then please contact our team. If you encounter any technical issues then please email techsupport@sail-world.com
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy