SAN DIEGO - May 24, 1995 - The America3 Foundation will close down the San Diego headquarters for its America's Cup women's sailing team at the end of this month. The campaign, first launched on March 9, 1994, at the Plaza Hotel in New York, marked the first time in the 144-year history of the America's Cup that a women's team would participate in the competition. Of the nearly 700 women who applied, 28 women - and one man - were on the final team.

"I am extremely proud of these women," said Bill Koch, winning skipper of the 1992 Cup and chief executive officer of the America3 Foundation. "They went so far beyond anyone's expectations, proving the skeptics wrong time and time again. They demonstrated they were strong enough and smart enough and tough enough to compete successfully against the most experienced and talented male sailors in the world. They have changed sailing and the America's Cup forever....and hopefully opened up new territory for women in other sports as well."

The America3 women's team was selected June 1, 1994, and spent the following nine months training off and on the water for 12-hours a day, six days a week. They competed for the first time in International America's Cup Class racing in the IACC World Championships in October 1994, finishing a commendable second overall - behind Australia's John Bertrand and ahead of their other two American competitors, Team Dennis Conner and Pact '95. They held their own during the three months of the Citizen Cup Defender Trials which began January 12, qualifying on the water to race in the finals. On April 26, after being as much as four minutes ahead of Team Dennis Conner during five of the six legs, the women lost the race by 52 seconds, thereby ending their long, hard journey to win the right to defend the Cup.

The team members are currently in transition as they pack up their belongings in San Diego and make plans for the future. Some are preparing Olympic campaigns in sailing or rowing; others are returning to resume their former careers or rejoin their children and husbands. Some will simply enjoy a well-deserved vacation before deciding what to do next.

Will there be another America3 women's team competing for the next Cup? No plans have been announced, but a number of alternatives are under consideration.

"As the campaign closes down, all of us at America3 have much to celebrate," said Vincent Moeyersoms, president of America3. "We congratulate Peter Blake and his team for a superb job in winning the 1995 Cup. We thank Pact '95 and Team Dennis Conner for challenging us to sail our best in the Citizen Cup. We also thank all of the hundreds of reporters, journalists and photographers who told our story so eloquently in the media. And, of course, we will be forever grateful to our corporate and private sponsors and donors and the thousands of individuals around the world who sent in their financial and moral support to keep us going throughout the year. It's been a heart-warming and exciting experience none of us will ever forget!".

Future inquiries about the America3 Foundation or requests to contact the women of the 1995 America's Cup campaign should be addressed to the America3 Foundation at the Foundation's headquarters @ 1601 Forum Place, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (phone after June 1: 561/697-4300). . Requests for photography should go to Daniel Forster at 401/847-4866. Requests for video footage should go to Phil Uhl at 808/947-4460.

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For additonal information please send e-mail to: Rick Wrightson

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