6 Yachts Scheduled to Race In The Il Moro Trophy Regatta on San Francisco Bay July 25-27

World’s top tacticians will participate including Hamish Pepper, Gavin Brady,
Charlie McKee, David Barnes, Hank Easom and Chris Dickson

San Francisco, CA, July 11, 2003 - On July 25-27, the Wells Fargo Challenge Series will present the IL Moro Trophy, the second in a four-regatta fleet racing series this summer on San Francisco Bay using restored vintage International America’s Cup Class (IACC) yachts. Six IACC yachts will fleet race for the Il Moro Trophy, which was won last year by Larry Ellison and ORACLE BMW Racing.

The fleet of four vintage IACC yachts that reside in San Francisco will fleet race against Larry Ellison's ORACLE BMW Racing team on their current generation yacht USA-76. Spicing up the racing will be the addition of the updated yacht USA-61, formerly America One, the 2000 America’s Cup challenger from the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco. USA-61, a more recent generation America’s Cup Class yacht, will be skippered by Peter Stoneberg and is expected to give Ellison’s team some stiff competition.

The Il Moro Trophy commemorates the first America's Cup yacht designed and built under the new IACC rules in 1990. Il Moro di Venezia 1 started the new class of yachts and was the late Raul Gardini's pride and joy. Today she is fully restored, residing at The Challenge Series yachting center on San Francisco’s Treasure Island and racing regularly in The Challenge Series.

The following yachts and skippers are scheduled to participate in the Il Moro Trophy regatta, along with some of the world’s top tacticians including Hamish Pepper, Gavin Brady, Charlie McKee, David Barnes, Hank Easom and Chris Dickson.

1. ITA 1 Team Paul & Shark - Tom Thayer and Dick Watts
2. USA-11 Team Wells Fargo - John Sweeney and Tina Kleinjan
3. NZL 14 Team Archipel Wines - Mary Coleman
4. NZL 20 New Zealand - Karie and David Thomson
5. USA 61 ex-America One - Peter Stoneberg
6. USA 76 - ORACLE BMW Racing - Larry Ellison

The Challenge Series is the only organized fleet for America's Cup yacht owners in the world. Four regattas each year showcase owner/driver fleet racing in San Francisco Bay on a spectator-friendly racecourse. The Challenge Series offers exciting racing with great social events and sponsor opportunities. The season will continue with the Golden Gate Cup September 5-8 (please note revised dates), and the Worlds October 11-19. All Challenge Series events are hosted by the Sausalito Yacht Club. For more information please visit www.challenge-series.com.