Eva Luise Köhler names German America's Cup yacht "Germany I"
Germany I” is the new focus of attention in the first German campaign for prestigious America’s Cup. The new boat of United Internet Team Germany was given her name by Eva Luise Köhler, spouse of Germany’s president Horst Köhler, during the christening ceremony on Monday evening (24 April) in Kiel. And her name says it all, as the 26-by-4-metre “Germany I“ is the first ever America’s Cup yacht that was constructed and completed in Germany in the course of the 155-year old history of the world’s longest-standing sports trophy.
Acting as godmother, Eva Luise Köhler gave her best wishes to the boat carrying sail number GER 89 and to the whole crew led by skipper Jesper Bank for a successful entry to the 32nd America’s Cup, which will be carried out in summer 2007 in Valencia, Spain.
Flashlights and thundering applause provided the backdrop, when president Köhler’s spouse Eva smashed a bottle of champagne on the bow of the shiny white carbon hull of the high-tech racing yacht. ”Allzeit gute Fahrt und immer eine Handbreit Wasser unterm Kiel,” said Mrs. Köhler, a traditional German wish among sailors, intended to ensure a “bon voyage” and “water under the keel” at all times. ”Naming the yacht Germany I is to symbolize that high-tech made in Germany can be absolute top-class. This is what United Internet stands for, and this is what this new boat stands for,” says Ralph Dommermuth, CEO of the United Internet AG from Montabaur, the title sponsor of the first German America’s Cup campaign.
After the christening ceremony, 250 guests celebrated this important milestone in the history of the German sailing sport on the premises of Kiel Yacht Club.
Germany I will soon be launched. Before that, she will have to pass a couple of static structure tests in Kiel to test the stiffness. If everything is OK, the new yacht will first set sails at the end of May or beginning of June on the Outer Kiel Fiord. If she passes the tests, Germany I will finally take to the road to travel from the Knierim-Yachtbau shipyard to Valencia, where the boat will be optimized in mid-summer.
;){kind=spacer}
;)
;)
