Lausanne and Frankfurt, June 15, 2004—The International Rowing Federation (FISA) and BearingPoint Inc., one of the world’s largest business consulting, systems integration and managed services firms, announced today that BearingPoint will continue to be the title sponsor of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 World Cup series and the presenting sponsor of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 World Rowing Championships.

‘FISA is delighted that BearingPoint has committed to World Rowing for an additional three-year period,’ said FISA president Denis Oswald. ‘Rowing is a means of encouraging international understanding and cooperation and with BearingPoint, a global firm with an exemplary level of performance and professionalism, we feel that our vision and values are perfectly aligned.’

The BearingPoint sponsorship secures the funding for future World Rowing events until the next Olympic Games and will also help to support the FISA development programme around the world.

Oswald and Beat Leimbacher, BearingPoint European sales director and member of BearingPoint Switzerland’s supervisory board, will formalize the sponsorship on the victory pontoon at the 2004 BearingPoint World Cup in Lucerne on Sunday, June 20, 2004. ‘Our team of consultants is successful because of the combination of individual strengths and team spirit,’ said Leimbacher. ‘That champion rowers also demonstrate this same success factor is one of the key reasons why BearingPoint is proud to renew its sponsorship of the International Rowing Federation.’

With global headquarters located in McLean, Virginia, BearingPoint employs approximately 15,000 individuals in 40 countries, including the leading nations of this year’s BearingPoint Rowing World Cup: Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Canada.

BearingPoint’s commitment to the sport of rowing extends beyond the World Rowing events. BearingPoint Germany also sponsors Marcel Hacker, the world-class single sculler from Germany. In February this year, BearingPoint New Zealand was the naming sponsor of the New Zealand National Rowing Championships held at Lake Karapiro.

For more information and images please contact:

FISA:
Helen Bishop, Communications Manager
helen.bishop@fisa.org
tel +41 21 612 0226

BearingPoint:
Sabine Theis
Sabine.theis@bearingpoint.com
Tel +49 69 13022 1676