NY Firefighters To World Firefighters Games in NZ

ACE Group of Companies to Send New York City Firefighters to 2002 World Firefighters Games in New Zealand

Firefighters Games to Coincide with Start of America’s Cup;
New York City Firefighters to Join Dennis Conner and Stars & Stripes Crew in New Zealand

New York, NY, August 23, 2002 – The ACE Group of Companies (NYSE: ACE) today announced that they will be providing the necessary funding for 20 New York City firefighters and their guests to travel to New Zealand to compete in the World Firefighters Games. While in New Zealand, the participating New York City firefighters will also be guests of Team Dennis Conner/Stars & Stripes, the New York Yacht Club’s entry for the 2003 America’s Cup, during Round Two of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series. ACE is a Gold-Level sponsor of Team Dennis Conner.

ACE, Dennis Conner and representatives of the New York City firefighters delegation will all be in attendance on Saturday, August 24 in Newport, Rhode Island for a send-off ceremony for Conner. Several crew members will depart the following day (Sunday August 25) for New Zealand for the first round of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series, which begins October 1.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in the World Firefighters Games, especially because this year’s “Memorial Games” are in honor of those who have lost their lives in the course of duty - particularly to our 343 brothers who gave their lives last September,” said Vinny Plover of the FDNY’s Ladder Company #85, and an ACE-sponsored firefighter competing in New Zealand. “We’re also looking forward to cheering on Dennis and his crew in Auckland as they work to bring the America’s Cup back to New York where it belongs.”

The World Firefighters Games are held in a different location every two years, covering 72 different sporting events. The U.S. has always had a strong showing at the games, representing a high percentage of overall attendees each year. This year, New York City’s athletes will be joined by firefighters from California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia. The U.S. representatives will compete head to head in team and individual sports against representatives from countries around the world, including the Republic of Korea, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tahiti, the United Kingdom and Venezuela, among others.

The organizers of the 7th World Firefighters Games have dedicated these games to the memory of all the firefighters who have lost their lives in the course of duty, particularly to those New York firefighters who bravely gave their lives at the World Trade Center in September 2001. These games have been deemed The Memorial Games.

“The America’s Cup, Stars & Stripes and the New York City firefighters are all particularly timely and patriotic symbols,” said Brian Duperreault, chairman and chief executive officer, ACE Limited. “In tribute to the remarkable work that these real life heroes do day-in and day-out – and to bring Dennis and the rest of the crew a little luck in October – we are privileged to help ensure that the City of New York is represented in New Zealand by its best and bravest. We are looking forward to victories all the way around.”

The America's Cup is a best-of-nine match. The right to challenge the current trophy holder, Team New Zealand, is determined through a four-month elimination process known as the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series. The delegation of New York City firefighters and their guests will join Team Dennis Conner and the Stars & Stripes team in Auckland, New Zealand on October 22. The firefighters will then continue on to Christchurch, New Zealand on October 25 to participate in the World Firefighters Games, which will commence with a Memorial Service, and will run through November 2, 2002.

“Representing the United States in an international competition is always an honor, but to do so with these real-life heroes cheering for us will be awe-inspiring,” said Dennis Conner, head of the Stars & Stripes team and four-time champion of the America’s Cup. “We will all consider ourselves honorary New Yorkers, come October in New Zealand.”

The ACE Group of Companies is one of the world’s leading providers of insurance, reinsurance and financial products and services. Headquartered in Bermuda since its inception in 1985, ACE was created to satisfy a market need for excess liability insurance. ACE’s 16,580 employees do business in offices in 50 countries around the world. ACE has two branches in New Zealand, in Auckland and Wellington.
Additional information can be found at: www.acelimited.com.

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NZ MEDIA: There is a 16 hour time difference between New Zealand and New York.
Midday Sunday NZ time is 8pm Saturday in NY.

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