Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard brokerage

illbruck Challenge Volvo Ocean 60 Race Boat Enroute to U.S.

by Jane Eagleson 25 Apr 2001 15:09 BST

The new custom-built illbruck Volvo Ocean 60 arrived in Bremen, Germany early this morning after an overnight journey from the illbruck automotive facility in Leverkusen-Neuenkamp where the boat was built. The race boat will be shipped Friday to Charleston, South Carolina where the illbruck Challenge sailing team will tune-up the new bright green-and-white hulled racing yacht in their final months of training for the Volvo Ocean Race around-the-world which starts September 23 in Southampton, England.

The precious cargo, the result of almost seven months of work and some 27,000 man hours by illbruck Challenge boat construction manager Killian Bushe and his team of boat-builders, was transported on a flatbed truck with a police escort last night to the Duebbel & Jesse shipyard in Bremen. The boat was given a warm farewell from local residents and illbruck employees who lined the street to see the race boat safely on its journey at 10 pm last night. The long and wide load of the 17.2-foot wide racing yacht required special permission and a police convoy to travel the streets and autobahn to Bremen, 300 kilometres north of Leverkusen.

The racing yacht will be loaded below deck of the freighter "Star Fraser" on Friday and shipped to the United States. Once the race boat departs from Bremen, it is not expected to return to Germany until the finish of the Volvo Ocean Race around-the-world in Kiel in June 2002.

"Killian and his team did an outstanding job in building this boat," said Thomas "Beppo" Michaelsen, illbruck Challenge, Director of Operations. "The months of hard work shows in the fine detail of the custom work and the brilliant finish of the hull. Before we started this project, we knew Killian had a reputation for being a perfectionist and now he has lived up to it. While the true test will come when illbruck sails next month, early signs are that this boat is all we hoped for," Michaelsen said.

"After many months of hard work and dedication by the boat-building team, it was a great moment to see the boat roll out of the shed. Now we will all look forward to the maiden voyage next month," Michaelsen said.

illbruck Challenge thanks the following suppliers who contributed to the construction of the illbruck Volvo Ocean 60: Geo. Gleistein (ropes), International Farbenwerke (paint), DIAB (foam for sandwich construction), Webasta (heaters), Niro Petersen (stainless steel equipment), Duebbel & Jesse (shipyard in Bremen).

More Information:

Related Articles

illbruck Challenge First to Finish Trans-Atlantic
The illbruck Challenge team arrived here this morning following a closely fought tune-up race across The illbruck Challenge team arrived here this morning following a closely fought tune-up race across the Atlantic with fellow competitors Team Tyco & Team News Corp. In the final hours of the 13-day crossing, the lead was exchanged several times. Posted on 3 Aug 2001
illbruck to cross Atlantic in Volvo Ocean Race Qua
The illbruck Challenge team this week packed up their base camp here, concluding a successful five-m The illbruck Challenge team this week packed up their base camp here, concluding a successful five-month training session for the Volvo Ocean Race. The team sets sail from Charleston today Posted on 20 Jul 2001
Gill confirmed as technical clothing supplier to i
The UK-based performance clothing specialist, Gill, has been signed up by the illbruck Challenge as The UK-based performance clothing specialist, Gill, has been signed up by the illbruck Challenge as Technical Clothing Supplier for the Americas Cup 2003. Posted on 27 Jun 2001
New Zealand Clothing Company Joins illbruck Challe
The New Zealand based clothing brand, Line 7, has signed an agreement with the illbruck Challenge to The New Zealand based clothing brand, Line 7, has signed an agreement with the illbruck Challenge to become its clothing supplier for the Volvo Ocean Race and Americas Cup 2003. Posted on 26 Jun 2001
illbruck Challenge Sails Maiden Voyage with New Ra
illbruck Challenge syndicate chairman Michael Illbruck and skipper John Kostecki shared the helm of 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 teams race boat for the Volvo Ocean Race. Posted on 22 May 2001
Glenn Bourke Joins illbruck Challenge as CEO
Glenn Bourke, two-time Americas Cup competitor and sailing venue and competition manager of the suc Glenn Bourke, two-time Americas Cup competitor and sailing venue and competition manager of the successful Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, has joined the illbruck Challenge as Chief Executive Officer, syndicate chairman Michael Illbruck announced today. Posted on 18 Apr 2001
illbruck Challenge To Race Volvo 60s to Baltimore
The illbruck Challenge Volvo Ocean Race sailing team will race their two illbruck Volvo 60 stablemat The illbruck Challenge Volvo Ocean Race sailing team will race their two illbruck Volvo 60 stablemates from Charleston, South Carolina to Baltimore, MD on April 23 as part of the teams training for the around-the-world race. Posted on 11 Apr 2001
Illbruck Challenge Christens Boat for Volvo Ocean
The Illbruck Challenge christened the teams new race boat for the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race in a c The Illbruck Challenge christened the teams 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. The race boat was christened illbruck by Christiane Illbruck. Posted on 3 Apr 2001
illbruck Challenge Begins Training in Charleston,
The illbruck Challenge team is now training for the Volvo Ocean Race from Charleston, South Carolina The illbruck Challenge team is now training for the Volvo Ocean Race from Charleston, South Carolina on the East Coast of the U.S. as the team enters its final phase of preparation. Posted on 12 Mar 2001
illbruck Challenges new crew includes Britains I
Four additional race crew have been named to the illbruck Challenge Volvo Ocean Race sailing team, f Four additional race crew have been named to the illbruck Challenge Volvo Ocean Race sailing team, following an intensive training and racing session in the Southern Ocean, illbruck Challenge announced skipper John Kostecki. Posted on 25 Jan 2001