Team Shosholoza's R100m boost
19 January 2005
South Africa's America's Cup challenger, Team Shosholoza, is ready to go head-to-head with the best the world has to offer after securing a massive sponsorship from T-Systems, the business customer brand of Deutsche Telekom. The investment is worth R100-million over three years.
Shosholoza will carry the T-Systems logo at future sailing events. In addition to the money being ploughed into the team, it will also receive extensive support from T-Systems in information and communications technology and marketing.
'Three steps forward'
"This sponsorship immediately jettisons us three steps forward in our campaign and represents a huge boost for Team Shosholoza and the South African America's Cup Challenge for 2007", said Team Shosholoza managing director Salvatore
Sarno.
"It means the team can be more confident in achieving their dream of going to Valencia in 2007, and more confident that they will have a second new race yacht in 2006."
Sarno said it was possible for a newcomer to go all the way, pointing to the success of Switzerland's Alinghi last year. The first goal, he said, was to reach the America's Cup quarterfinals. "After that point, anything's possible", he reckoned.
Team Shosholoza is the first African challenger in the history of the 153-year-old America's Cup - and the first to combine black and white sailors.
Formed in 2003, the team came about through the efforts of South African sailors active in youth work. The youngsters were given the opportunity to experience competitive sailing at sporting camps, with the best among them advancing on to make the Shosholoza team.
The 2007 event will be held in Europe for the first time in over 150 years, off of the Spanish city of Valencia. The Louis Vuitton
Cup, to be held off Valencia from April through to July, will determine which nation gets the chance to challenge for America's Cup glory against Switzerland's Alinghi.
Crew in place
Team Shosholoza's crew is pretty much in place already. Those who have signed on include SA international skipper Geoff Meek, SA Olympic sailor Ian Ainslie, top British yachtsman Paul Standbridge as sailing manager, and a number of local championship title holders.
Wolfgang Jakob, CEO of T-Systems South Africa, said his company's decision to sponsor Team Shosholoza and South Africa's America's Cup dream demonstrated T-Systems' long-term commitment to SA.
"We believe Shosholoza is a true reflection of the values and characteristics of high-tech sailing and what the T-Systems brand stands for", Jakob said.
'Representative of all South Africans'
Mafika Mkwanazi, President of the SA America's Cup Challenge for 2007,
described team Shosholoza as a Proudly South African initiative that has captured the attention of the world's media.
"The team is fully representative of all South Africans", Mkwanazi said. "Our new yacht has been designed and is currently being built in South Africa, and now T-Systems, through their commitment to our campaign as a chief sponsor, has confirmed their confidence in our democracy.
"It so perfectly illustrates how we can generate jobs and much revenue for the country by working together on all aspects of our America's Cup campaign.
"When Team Shosholoza competes against the best teams in the world in the next few years and at the ultimate match in Valencia in 2007, she will be watched by a live television audience of over a billion people."
T-Systems will also be behind the setting up of an exchange programme between Germany and South Africa for the up-and-coming sailing stars of both countries.
"There is an ocean full of possibilities
on the horizon for Team Shosholoza", Jakob said. "Not only do they carry the hopes of a nation into the Cup Challenge as the very first African team to compete, but they will also carry with them the support of every T-Systems employee across the globe.
"They have already made history simply by entering, now we look forward to whatever exciting prospects lie ahead."
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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