BERTRANGE, Luxembourg, Oct. 7, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metro International S.A. ("Metro") (Nasdaq:MTROA) (Nasdaq:MTROB), the international newspaper group, today announced that the Victory Challenge entry in the America's Cup has now won all three of its first races in the Louis Vuitton Cup in Auckland, New Zealand. Metro is one of the leading sponsors of the Nordic syndicate's challenge for international match race sailings' most coveted trophy.
Metro is a global brand with editions in 24 markets around the world and is benefiting from the massive media coverage and exposure generated by the most prestigious sailing regatta in the world and the third most televised event in the sports calendar. The last America's Cup, in Spring 2000, generated nearly two thousand hours of television coverage alone and over 50,000 articles across the world, numbers that are expected to increase significantly this time around.
Victory Challenge has established itself as the most successful European team in the opening races and the only one so far to defeat the New York Yacht Club's 'Star and Stripes.'
The Victory Challenge syndicate was created by Metro's former chairman and leading international businessman, Jan Stenbeck. The syndicate has fielded two boats, Orn (Eagle) and Orm (Snake), for the challenge. The two boats are crewed by sailors drawn from the Nordic countries and boast 5 Olympic and 25 World Championship sailing medals between them.
For the first time in the history of the America's Cup, the racing is being televised from Day One of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series, which will determine the winner from a field of nine contenders to go forward to meet New Zealand, the current holders of the trophy, in March next year.
Victory Challenge's next race is against Prada, the current holder of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Pelle Tornberg, President & CEO of Metro International, commented: "This sporting event represents all the values that are essential to successful business, and provides Metro with the ideal marketing platform for our international brand. The America's Cup has drawn together the toughest competition from around the world and Victory Challenge has made a strong start to its first campaign."
Metro is the world's largest free newspaper, publishing and distributing24 editions in 15 countries in 13 languages: Stockholm, Prague,Gothenburg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Helsinki, Malmo, Santiago,Philadelphia, Toronto, Rome, Milan, Warsaw, Athens, Montreal, Barcelona,Boston, Madrid, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Paris, Marseille, Lyon and HongKong.
Metro International S.A. 'A' and 'B' shares are listed on NASDAQ and theStockholmsborsen under the symbols MTROA and MTROB.
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