illbruck to cross Atlantic in Volvo Ocean Race Qualifier

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 on the V.O.60 "illbruck" to rendezvous with fellow race competitors Team News Corp and Team Tyco on Sunday July 22 outside of the Chesapeake Bay for a joint Atlantic crossing to Europe.

The trans-Atlantic sail will serve as illbruck's qualifier for the Volvo Ocean Race. Each entered race boat must complete 2,000 offshore miles with the race crew prior to the start of the Volvo Ocean Race on September 23 from Southampton, England. The V.O.60's will start Sunday on from an agreed point off the Chessie Light and cross to La Rochelle, France, the stopover port for the trans-Atlantic leg (7) of the race next spring. While the crossing is not a race to Europe, the illbruck Challenge team looks forward to lining up against some of the competition for the first time in the new race boat.

"We have accomplished all we set out to do in Charleston," said skipper John Kostecki. "The goal here was to complete our sail testing and development with our two training boats and then optimise the new race boat. Charleston gave us the range of conditions we sought for our testing and training. Hopefully all this preparation is going to pay off and we'll see it in the results. We are ready to race."

The trans-Atlantic crossing will allow the team to give a final shakedown to many of the on-board systems while satisfying the requirement of the qualifier. By crossing with competitors, the teams will test the systems in a race-like environment.

Once across the Atlantic, the illbruck team will sail to Hamble, England where they will prepare for the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race on August 12. illbruck expects to line-up against four other V.O.60's in the Fastnet including News Corporation, Assa Abloy, Djuice Dragons and Team SEB.

"The Fastnet is one of the world's premier ocean races," Kostecki said. "With other V.O.60's competing, it will be a great tune-up for the Volvo Ocean Race." The 600-mile Fastnet Race starts from the Solent with the fleet rounding Fastnet Rock off Ireland and racing back to England. The illbruck Challenge will remain based in Hamble until the start of the Volvo Ocean Race on September 23 from Southampton, England.

More Information:

• YachtsandYachting.com Volvo Ocean Race Information Page
• www.VolvoOceanRace.org
• www.illbruckchallenge.com