Stuttgart, May 11, 1995
Daimler-Benz AG will continue to support sailing as a sport. In accordance with a decision of the group's Board of Management the AeroSail project will go ahead. It involves support of the up-and-coming German yachtsmen and women, the use of the group's technological competence and cooperation with the German Sailing Association (DSV). In particular, the group will support DSV in the sailing competitions at the Olympic Games in the summer of 1996 in Savannah.AeroSail, founded over two years ago, was under the management of Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG in Munich in phase I, and supported by the group and its corporate units. Since its foundation, over 1000 yachtsmen and women have been invited to inspection courses aimed at finding new talent. The AeroSail teams have achieved considerable national and international racing success.
It was particularly gratifying for Daimler-Benz that the training of the youngsters was accepted so readily by the active sportsmen and women and the association, and that the technological competence of the company regarding boat construction could be immediately converted into sporting success. AeroSail will continue to work in this way in phase II. The qualification races for the German Admiral's Cup team will take priority. AeroSail will start at the Northsea-Week outside Heligoland and in both classes during Kiel Week (Mumm 36 and ILC 40).
The decision to participate in the Whitbread Race around the world is on the agenda for Autumn 1995.
The AeroSail project will be the direct responsibility of Daimler-Benz in the future; communication will be carried out at the group's headquarters in Möhringen. The chairman of Daimler-Benz, Edzard Reuter, will take up chairmanship of the AeroSail advisory council in phase II. Dr. Hans Blume, Senior Vice President Sales Aircraft Group of Daimler-Benz Aerospace, will be Managing Director. He replaces Ortwin Kandler who has resigned from this post. The Olympic sailing champion, Jochen Schümann, will continue to be in charge of the sports sector.
In the opinion of Daimler-Benz the decisions taken by the Board of Management point the way ahead for German open sea sailing and are a special opportunity for the up-and-coming yachtsmen and women as well as a sign that the AeroSail project can now continue on its successful course.
One of the main focuses of the programme remains unchanged, namely the development of a technological base for sailing. In this connection, all scientific and technological potentials of the group are brought together and used for the benefit of the sport. Sailing, which represents an especially harmonious symbiosis between man, nature and technology and embodies dynamism, creativity, spontaneity and team spirit, will profit from the technological expertise available in the fields of aerospace, microelectronics and car construction.
AeroSail will carry out hydrodynamic tests concerning the analysis of the buoyancy and resistance of a boat's hull, develop new materials and employ them in the construction of the boat, mast and sail as well as testing information technology for computer navigation, a racing simulation programme and the development of trimming and tactics computers.
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