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Illbruck Challenge Christens Boat for Volvo Ocean Race

by Jane Eagleson 3 Apr 2001 20:35 BST
Illbruck Challenge Christens Boat for Volvo Ocean Race

The illbruck Challenge christened the team's new race boat for the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race in a ceremony March 31 at the illbruck Automotive plant where the boat was built. A weekend of activities at the boatbuilding facility marked the completion of the new bright green and white hulled racing yacht.

The race boat was christened illbruck by Christiane Illbruck, wife of illbruck GmbH founder, Willi Illbruck, and mother of illbruck GmbH CEO Michael Illbruck. The naming of the boat was celebrated at an evening corporate function with the race crew and the boatbuilding team at the boatbuilding facility. "My mother has christened all the fast boats so it's a good omen," said Michael Illbruck after the champagne bottle broke over the bow.

On Sunday, April 1 hundreds of illbruck GmbH employees and their families celebrated the completion of the new illbruck race boat at an Open House at the site of the boat's construction in Leverkusen. Other friends of the illbruck Challenge and members of the media attended the Open House to see the new race boat before it is shipped to Charleston, SC in the U.S. for training.

"This is a significant milestone in our Volvo Ocean Race campaign," said Michael Illbruck during the weekend christening activities. "It's a special moment for the crew, the boat builders and our employees. We have been waiting for this since 1997 when we first decided to take on this challenge. The design team, the race crew and the boatbuilders have dedicated so much to developing a competitive boat. We all look forward to illbruck's maiden voyage next month," Illbruck said.

"The race crew will spend most of the next year living and racing on board this boat, said skipper John Kostecki. "We will experience all sorts of weather conditions in seas spanning the globe. "On board this boat our race crew will competing to win the world's premier ocean race. Together we will face situations that will test not only our skill, but our spirit. This crew is ready for the job and now we have the boat to do it. Killian Bushe and his team have delivered and now it's our turn."

The new race boat is a Farr Yacht Design. Killian Bushe, boat construction manager for the illbruck Challenge, built the boat with an international team of expert boatbuilders. Construction began in late September 2000.

The new race boat will be shipped to Charleston later in April where the team will launch illbruck and tune it up against the winner of the last Whitbread Round the World Race (now the Volvo Ocean Race), the former EF Language.

The team will optimize the boat and train on the East Coast of the U.S. In July, the team will sail across the Atlantic to compete in the Fastnet Race in England and make final preparations for the start of the Volvo Ocean Race September 23 in Southampton.

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