Wek Rossii (RUS-24) arrived in San Diego, but never sailed in the LVC:  

c.K.Urtz 2012

The Cyrillic text means  “WEK ROSSII” = Age of Russia

The Yacht Club of St. Petersburg, formerly Leningrad, is one of the oldest sailing clubs in the world. The first attempt of Russia to take part in the America's Cup failed due to competence disputes between Moscow and Petersburg and at the end on a lack of money. The official, and by the San Diego YC recognized challenger was the Red Star 92 Syndicate, which was sponsored by the St. Petersburg YC. First they built a test yacht in Aluminium for training around St. Petersburg. The second yacht in carbon-fiber has been finished so late, that it could be only transported by plane to arrive  in time. But the YC had no sufficient money. Suddenly Moscow representatives  nominated to the surprise of all as another official challenger the Age of Russia Syndicate. Their yacht has been flown together with her crew in an Antonov- 124 to San Diego but took part to no competition. At the beginning  they were not allowed to sail in the San Diego Bay because of military installations. Later they received a special approval from the Navy and the Coast Guard to sail outside the Bay. As the Red Star 92 Syndicate had no boat, but the official recognition as challenger, the Age of Russia Syndicate tried to establish a mixed crew, which failed and therefore the whole challenge

. While the "Energia Space Centre," has carried out all major space projects from the "Sputnik" to the  "Buran" space shuttle, the "Wek Rossii" was considered as a clumsy and slow yacht. Later she was allegedly jacked up on a storage place as a blocked deposit of a bank. In 1995 her hull - without sails - has been offered at 25,000 U$. (with estimated costs for additional equipment of around U$ 200,000). Because of magnificent alterations she had be reclassified in 2000 and received the sail number RUS-62 again for a Russian candidate who withdrew later his challenge Then she sailed as tourist attraction along with the America II (see AC 1987 "Geronimo") for a company in British Columbia (Canada). 2003 the two yachts were offered again for sale. The fate of "Wek Rossii" (Age of Russia) is unknown.

AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013