French America's Cup Project 2007

by Laurent Simon Agence Windward on 15 May 2003 Loïck Peyron and Bertrand Pacé launch their project for the America's Cup 2007

Loïck and Bertrand have been rubbing shoulders out on the water for ten years. And although match-racing and the America's Cup have become part of Bertrand's every day life, Loïck has been interested in the famous silver trophy for almost ten years.

A project in common became obvious and both sailors, each with an exceptional list of achievements, thrashed their ideas out properly last December in Auckland.

An association which can be qualified as natural, complementary and unifying.

'For me, Bertrand is one of the figures of the America's Cup,' said Peyron. 'He knows the competition and its hidden side and possess the famous international experience which is so rare for we French.

He really knows what it means to manage a sporting project of this scale. What's more, he has taken part in various sort of organisations and knows their strengths and weaknesses. He's been through a lot and now has his fair share of grey hair to prove it! I'm not doing this without Bertrand... '

'I've always had an enormous amount of esteem and respect for Loïck, Pacé explained. 'What I like about him is that he is passionate about yacht racing. He doesn't think twice before bringing himself into question and sails on all sorts of boats.

His boats have always been technically innovative and high performance machines. Loïck has enormous talent in terms of technology and when it comes to navigation.

He has both the savoir-faire and the energy to manage an America's Cup team. We are both passionate about sailing and love being out on the water. That should not be forgotten!'

So that we can have all the necessary assets on our side, Pacé explains that 'we have to start acquiring key people right now.' So strong relations are maintained with national and international skills in setting up the Design Team.

For several months now, we have been in contact with two American 'personalities' - Rod Davis (Coach, 9 America's Cup participations, 2 times Olympic medalist in the Los Angeles (gold) and Barcelona (silver) Games, 14 international match-racing titles) and Clay Oliver (naval architect, Team New Zealand, Stars and Stripes, America3).

With a view to mixing skill and experience, Christian Contzen former Managing Director of Renault F1 (6 times World Champion) and highly enthusiastic about our project will be in charge of technological partnerships.

Top French educational institutions have already given their undertaking in the shape of ParisTech.

'Money alone is not enough to win, but you cannot win without money.' Therefore, in order to get down to work rapidly and efficiently, the best men and tools of the moment have to be brought in.

So, our aim is to put together 75 million euros (average of the true budgets in the last edition) with the guarantee of obtaining the first half of the budget before the end of July 2003.


TEAM FRANCE SAILING HIGHLIGHTS
BERTRAND PACÉ: Winner of the Admiral's Cup 1991, World Match-Racing Champion 1994 and Vice Champion in 1998-99, 1st in the Swedish Match Tour 2000, 6 times winner of the Tour de France à la Voile, 5 America's Cup participations, 1st French tactician to have taken part in an America's Cup.

LOÏCK PEYRON: 36 Atlantic crossing 15 of which single-handed, two circumnavigations (Vendée Globe and The Race), 4 ORMA world championship titles, 2 consecutive wins on the English Transatlantic single-handed yacht race, 4 Round Europe Yacht Race wins, 14 first and 4 second places in the 21 ORMA Multihull Grands Prix between 1993 and 2000.