Auckland, New Zealand…February 12, 2002 – Seattle’s OneWorld America’s Cup campaign had a very successful 1st day of racing in the America’s Cup International Regatta. The 1st match race of the series, staged in Auckland as an early trial for the America’s Cup, which begins here in October of this year, was a strong victory for OneWorld over the British GBR Challenge by 38 seconds.

The successful match race followed a fleet race that started two hours late after a weather delay. The fleet included OneWorld, Sweden’s Victory Challenge, GBR and the America’s Cup defender, Team New Zealand. Victory Challenge was the only team sailings its new generation yachts.

Victory Challenge (SWE-63) started to windward of the fleet and sailed upwind to approach the mark in the lead. Towards the end of the leg OneWorld overlapped with Team New Zealand as the latter had tried a different approach in an attempt to pass the Swedes on the line. GBR Challenge had started early and was recalled and finished fourth.

In the early going of the match race, GBR managed to penalize OneWorld in the pre-start before the pair headed upwind into a shifty wind from the North East. Trading tacks and changing sides, GBR lost the lead having crossed ahead at the first meeting. Skipper James Spithill and the OneWorld team managed to keep control of the race from then on and extend enough of the downwind legs to complete a penalty turn and cross the line with a 38 second lead.

Gary Wright, CEO of OneWorld was extremely pleased with the teams first day of racing, “I am very proud of the results today, it is a great beginning to what is shaping up to be a terrific week. Mr. McCaw, our lead underwriter has sent along his hearty congratulations and support of the OneWorld team today.”

About OneWorld

In May of 2000, the Seattle Yacht Club and telecommunications investor Craig McCaw launched the OneWorld Challenge campaign for the America’s Cup to be held in Auckland New Zealand in 2003. OneWorld assembled a world-class team of 85 people including designers, boat builders and sailors from around the globe, many of whom were already America’s Cup winners, Olympic medallists and World Champions. The OneWorld mission is to win the 31st America’s Cup in the name of the health of the planet. The syndicate will use its profile to draw the World’s attention to a broader environmental message. Underwriters of OneWorld at this point include Craig McCaw, Paul Allen’s TechTV, SAIC, Ford/Lincoln.