BMW sets sails for the America's Cup - and earns criticism for investing in a US team

Kiel (dpa) - The German car manufacturer BMW sets sails in the America's Cup and turns his race car driver Hans-Joachim Stuck into a boatsman. The Bavarian will be the spokesman of the newly formed "Oracle BMW Racing". «I am looking forward to this new challenge," said Stuck.

However, the news about the financial support worth millions of Euro, the PR-gag and the plans for exchanging knowledge between the Bavarians and Oracle did not go down to well with three-times Olympic sailing champion Jochen Schümann: «It's great news for Oracle, but not for sailing in Germany. Maybe BMW now has a chance to gain experience and be a bit more patriotic next time."

For years now Schümann has been on the look for a sponsor for a completely German America's Cup campaign and has made a virtue of necessity by joining the Swiss campaign «alinghi» as sporting director. After the news about BMW's campaign became known at the 108th Kiel Week sailing regattas, BMW-spokesman Michael Kirsch tried to pour oil on troubled waters: «This is not a decision against Germany.»

In a joint venture with the US-syndicate of software-billionaire Larry Ellison the Bavarian company will reach out for the world's most desired sailing trophy this autumn. Like the Swedish car company Volvo, who spent more than 30 million Euro on its Volvo Ocean Race Round the World campaign that was won by the German yacht "illbruck" just three weeks ago, the German automobile industry seems to develop an interest in the booming trendsport of sailing. Apart from BMW, the German-American company DaimlerChrysler stepped on board with sponsoring the DaimlerChrysler North Atlantic Challenge next summer.

On the other hand Ocean-Race-winner Michael Illbruck had to abandon his ambitious America's Cup campaign because he was not able to find a competent sponsor. Following the successful arrival of the Volvo Ocean Race in Kiel, which drew a crowd of 250.000 spectators to Kiel, the Munich-based businessman had announced his plans for another attempt to stage a German America's Cup campaign in 2005/2006 under the label "Pinta challenge". He is now looking for 90 million Euro to fund a campaign that would have all chances of being as succesful as the "illbruck" on the level of sailing as well as marketing.

«It was well known that we were looking for a sponsor for our America's Cup campaign. It's sad that now an American team gets the support of a big German company," commented Tony Kolb, the only German among the international team on board "illbruck".

BMW-spokesman Michael Kirsch explained that BMW's interest in sailing and the America's Cup is long predating the success and popularity of "illbruck challenge". "BMW has had contacts with Oracle for a very long time and our intention by this campaign is to position BMW in the American market. This is the reason why we chose an American team." BMW announced a press conference in Hamburg for next Monday where they will present their campaign and the background of their decison.