OzBoyz Challenge Announced On Australia’s Victorious America’s Cup Anniversary

It’s twenty years since Australia’s historical America’s Cup victory in Newport USA. Today, OzBoyz Challenge has been announced to contend for the 2007 America’s Cup with a new generation of Australian yachting talent, technology and business partners.

The OzBoyz Challenge for the XXXII America’s Cup has been created with the founding rule of the campaign: that 60% of the team must have been born in or after 1983. The significant date in the America’s Cup archives when Australia II defeated Liberty 4-3. Etched in the public’s memory are glorious images of the then Prime Minister Bob Hawke demonstrating Australia’s jubilation at being the first country in 132 years to defeat the Americans.

While most potential syndicates for the next America’s Cup are focusing on big budget campaigns, OzBoyz Challenge has a modest budget of AUD58 million. The campaign is based primarily on the youth of Australia. Male and female team members will be selected for their practical and academic talent in yachting, finance, marketing, administration, engineering and business. They will work with experienced mentors in each of these fields as well as legal experts, television, media and PR professionals who all have previous experience in the America’s Cup event.

Founding partners Saatchi & Saatchi, Seek Communications and Sumo have established the OzBoyz Challenge identity, recruitment process and website to complete phase one of the project. “We are currently in discussions with numerous companies interested in the philosophy and benefits of this project,” said OzBoyz Challenge spokesperson Sebastien Destremau. “These targeted sponsors are global organizations with a clear vision of what potential the 2007 America’s Cup in Europe can yield,” he added.

The event will be held in Europe for the first time since 1851. The venue has yet to be announced with four potential candidate cities: Lisbon (POR), Valencia (ESP), Marseille (FRA) and Naples (ITA). “I'm pleased to hear that Australia is planning to participate in the America's Cup once again, this time in Europe in 2007,” stated Elisabetta Persico (Naples Committee Chairman).

The second phase of the OzBoyz Challenge project commences with the official launch of the website www.ozboyzchallenge.com on 5th November 2003 followed by the online recruitment program commencing in December 2003. This coincides with the selection process of the OzBoyz Challenge Yacht Club. The current rules of the America’s Cup state that any syndicate wishing to participate shall be represented by a Yacht Club

“On behalf of ORACLE BMW Racing we would love to have the Aussies competing alongside us in Europe - you have the designers, sailors, the history and experience of knowing how to do it successfully,” said Chris Dickson (Oracle Racing CEO-Challenger of Record).