America's Cup German challenge abandoned

by Jane Eagleson on 13 Mar 2002 illbruck Challenge, Germany’s professional sailing
team and current leader of the Volvo Ocean Race, is discontinuing all its
preparations for America´s Cup XXXI effective immediately. It would be
the first-ever German participation in the 151-year old America´s Cup, the
oldest trophy in sport and also one of the most prestigious sailing races
in the world. Despite intensive efforts to find a corporate sponsor, a
commercial partner has not been found to finance the campaign, Michael
Illbruck, 42, CEO of the international company illbruck GmbH and Chairman
of the illbruck Challenge, announced today.

This decision to discontinue plans for the America’s Cup, which starts
October 1 in Auckland, New Zealand with the Louis Vuitton Challenger
Selection Series, in no way impacts the team’s current successful
participation in the Volvo Ocean Race Round the World 2001-2002, Illbruck
said. The illbruck Challenge is the overall race leader with four of the
nine legs completed. The race, which finishes in Kiel June, 9 2002, is now
in its fifth stage from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Miami, Florida, USA.

The illbruck Challenge is a professional international sailing team and an
extension of the illbruck-supported PINTA racing teams that over the past
30 years have earned success at many of the world’s top regattas. The
illbruck Challenge was 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.