By JULIE ASH
The last time John Kostecki was in Auckland, he was aboard illbruck bound for Rio de Janeiro in the round-the-world race.
That was in January.
With half a dozen New Zealanders aboard, the Kostecki-skippered German entry won the Volvo-sponsored ocean race, winning four of the nine legs along the
way.
Looking out at the Hauraki Gulf, memories of that fourth leg from Auckland to Rio de Janeiro come flooding back.
"We won that leg. It was one of our best legs," said Kostecki, who has spent the past week in Auckland watching the Louis Vuitton challenger series.
The round-the-world race was Kostecki's second and overall he said he had a pretty good time.
"It was a good race and it was pretty close down into the finish. It was basically what I thought it was going to be like - very exciting.
"We had a great run from Baltimore to La Rochelle. We set the 24-hour record. We did 484 miles. We were pretty proud of that moment and that was a huge achievement in sailing."
But despite their runaway success Kostecki said it is not illbruck's intention to do another.
"Right now it is not on the cards, it is not what we want to do. We won the last one and we are pretty happy about that and we are ready to move on the America's Cup."
The plan was for illbruck to finish the round-the-world race and then move to Auckland and take their place on syndicate row.
But they couldn't find enough money to fund their America's Cup campaign and it fell over, despite the fact the hull of GER68 was almost completed and they had a base already set up in Auckland.
Illbruck now hopes to get a German entry on the startline in the next cup.
"We just recently formed a company in Germany. Four of us, Ross Halcrow, Michael Richelson, myself and Michael Illbruck.
"We have a team of people in Germany looking for corporate money," said Kostecki, a former Olympic Soling silver medallist, who is also dabbling in a little bit of sailing in the Olympic Star class.
"Obviously it is really going to depend on where the America's Cup ends up. Budgets can change significantly depending on where it goes."
But he did admit it was a little daunting looking at the $190 million or so the likes of Oracle and Prada had available to them.
"It makes it difficult, because to be successful these days you do have to spend a lot of money. But we are looking at that and trying to figure out what it is going to take to mount a winning challenge."
Kostecki said he had been impressed with what he has seen in Auckland and was well aware the game had moved up a notch since the 1999-2000 regatta, where he was tactician on Paul Cayard's AmericaOne.
"It is a lot tougher this time, which is for the better. It is pretty good, pretty exciting.
"I am a little disappointed with all the off-water antics - it is not good for our sport. It should be won and lost on the water.
"I think Alinghi should be the challenger. They clearly have the best team of people.
"That is kind of how we came up with our illbruck team. We had the best team of people and that is what normally wins sail boat races."
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule, results and standings
By JULIE ASH
The last time John Kostecki was in Auckland, he was aboard illbruck bound for Rio de Janeiro in the round-the-world race.
That was in January.
With half a dozen New Zealanders aboard, the Kostecki-skippered German entry won the Volvo-sponsored ocean race, winning four of the nine legs along the
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