A major hurdle in the race for the first German participation in the America's Cup in 154 years has been overcome. The technical department of the United Internet Team Germany (UITG) converted a used AC yacht within just six working days, which now meets the strict requirements of the new AC regulations (version 5).
The conversion of the former "Mascalzone Latino" (ITA-72) took place in the harbour of Porto Ferraio on the Italian island of Elba. The ship is now on its way by water freight to Valencia, where it is expected to arrive on 1 June. The United Internet Team Germany will start with the boat under the new sail number GER-72 in the pre-regattas for the AC (Act 4 and 5) off the Spanish coastal city on 16 June.
The Italian team Mascalzone Latino took part in the 31st Americas Cup 2003 in Auckland/New Zealand with the now remodelled and bright white Cupper, which was designed by Giovanni Cecarelli. The United Internet Team Germany has bought the used yacht for the pre-regattas in 2005, which will continue in Malmö/Sweden and Trapani/Sicily in late summer and autumn.
In early summer 2006, the company's own newly built ship for the premier class of sailing should be ready. "We have just made the impossible possible," says UITG Technical Director Eberhard Magg. Normally, such conversions take two months.
Together with seven other boat and technical engineers, some of whom were flown in from the Knierim-Yachtbau shipyard in Kiel, Magg worked 15 to 20 hours a day to realise the German AC dream at short notice. "The guys from the former owner also helped us a lot," Magg thanked the team, which will compete against the Germans in 2007 as "Capitalia".
The conversions to the so-called Version 5, according to which all Cuppers will be even more similar than before, i.e. there will be less scope for design in future, were carried out according to the specifications of the Berlin designer Axel Mohnhaupt. The hull is now 15 centimetres longer at the waterline in the bow area.
The keel bomb is lightened by a tonne of lead in Germany and its shaft is lengthened by ten centimetres in order to arrive in Spain on time. Three masts and the sail wardrobe are shipped with the boat. Around 5000 spare parts have also been ordered for the first regatta. The sailing team led by skipper Jesper Bank plans to start training on the cupper off Valencia at the beginning of June.
