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AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND -- "Stars & Stripes will be on the starting line tomorrow," Team Dennis Conner campaign manager Bill Trenkle announced this evening after sailing the boat for the first time since it experienced structural damage two days earlier.

The damage to Stars & Stripes occurred on Sunday, prior to their race against Prada. The bulkhead to which the running backstays are anchored separated from the hull, ripping up a small portion of the aft deck as it went. No one was seriously injured and quick work by the crew got the sails down before any additional damage occurred.

Since that time, teams of boat builders have worked around the clock to rebuild and reinforce the damaged areas. At 2:00 PM today Stars & Stripes was rolled out of the shed and launched. Under the watchful eyes of the boat builders, the sailing crew applied static tests in the water, slowly increasing the loads on the boat up to 20,000 pounds.  Project manager Mick Harvey liked what he saw and what he heard.  When Harvey was satisfied with the results of the static tests, Stars & Stripes was towed out of Viaduct basin for the ultimate test. The sailing crew put the boat through its paces.

"The boat really feels solid," said Bill Trenkle. "While Stars & Stripes may not look as elegant as it once did, it's stronger than ever.  Mick and his team did an incredible job on an impossible schedule. They made it happen, and because of their effort Stars & Stripes will be on the starting line tomorrow at noon to meet the Young America syndicate."


For additional information:
Tom Leweck, Team Dennis Conner
TEL:  029 992-013
FAX: 64 9 9799 701
Team Dennis Conner website: http://www.stars-stripes.com/