The Virgin Islands Challenge is a St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands based Foundation organized in May 1996 to promote the
sport of sailing and the water in our beautiful Caribbean Islands. Cofounder and local sailing hero, Peter Holmberg, will be representing the U.S. Virgin Islands at the America's Cup in New
Zealand with Team Dennis Conner's syndicate, after the two syndicates formed an association in January 1999. (see attached press release). The VI Challenge continues it's efforts to promote
sailing to the Virgin Islands people, host an annual International Grade One Match Race event in December and showcase the multitude of water and land based attractions this world-class vacation destination
has to offer. Our mission is to educate and entice our local children and adults to enjoy and utilize our greatest resource - the Caribbean waters. VIRGIN ISLANDS CHALLENGE FORMS ALLIANCE
WITH TEAM DENNIS CONNER St. Thomas, USVI - January,
1999 - Officials of Team Caribbean, the Virgin Islands Challenge for the America's Cup, announced today the campaign has formed an association with Team Dennis Conner to move forward the goal of winning the
oldest trophy in sports.Team Co-Founder, Peter Holmberg mentions, "when we announced our challenge more than two years ago, we shocked the Virgin Islands community and the sailing world by
daring to believe that such a tiny nation could unite behind such an ambitious endeavor. We stated that our goals were to carry the VI flag to New Zealand; to elicit pride from all the people living in the
Virgin Islands, to launch a VI Marine Program to encourage involvement in marine activities and promote career development in our most valuable asset - the marine environment; and to promote the Virgin
Islands to the world. With our new association with Dennis Conner, we believe we have succeeded in carrying out many of those original goals." Holmberg also states that, "while
regional sponsors and private donors have done more than their share of funding the VI Challenge, the anticipated corporate sponsorship to complete the fund raising program has not materialized in time to
meet the design and building deadlines of a new boat". This situation is not unique to the VI Challenge, Holmberg points out, stating that, "of the sixteen official challengers only two have
announced they are well funded by corporate sponsorship." As a result of the lack of corporate funding, the Board of Directors voted to cease plans to build a new boat and pursue the association with
Dennis Conner, a Cup veteran who has won the America's Cup four times. The new association with Team Dennis Conner will translate into significant benefits for the Foundation's America's Cup
effort, including the signing of Peter Holmberg as a key member of Dennis Conner's sailing team. In addition, the Virgin Islands will be formally recognized with identification on the boat, at the team
compound in New Zealand, on co-branded merchandise and throughout the press. More importantly, key members of the Foundation's management team will serve on Conner's Advisory Council, representing the
interests of both the Virgin Islands community and the Foundation's large group of sponsors and donors. Dennis Conner is known affectionately as "Mr. America's Cup" in international
sailing circles. He is representing the Cortez Sailing Association of San Diego in his quest for the Cup and is excited about the association. "Personally I am very excited about adding the sailing
talent of Peter Holmberg to the Stars ~ Stripes afterguard. The addition of the key people involved with the VI America's Cup Challenge will be a big plus in helping Stars ~ Stripes win the Cup," said
Conner from his offices in San Diego. Holmberg termed Dennis Conner as a "Master of the Game" and said, "no one else will be in Auckland with the depth and breadth of experience
as Dennis Conner. He will have a top notch team and has as good a chance as any Challenger to meet the Kiwis in the America's Cup Match. We see this as a golden opportunity to fly the VI flag at the most
prestigious international sailing event in the world, which is what we set out to do when we began our Challenge. What we can learn at our first America's Cup with Team Dennis Conner will have an enormous
positive effect on a possible future Challenge in 2002." For more information contact:
VI Challenge
P.O. Box 6276
St. Thomas, USVI 00804 |
