Team France Jeune selects its group for Red Bull Youth America's Cup

by La Filière d'Excellence Team France on 27 Sep 2016 From 5 to 9 September, the city of Toulon played host to the second phase of the selection process launched by the Filière d’Excellence Team France (TF Excellence Network). After five days of events, Franck CAMMAS and Jacques Cathelineau (the French Sailing Federation’s Technical Director) reveal the group of 14 youngsters who will now train together to prepare for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.

The Filière d'Excellence Team France on the search for tomorrow's champions

A first wave of selection rounds launched in late 2015 enabled the Network to establish the very first Team France Jeune, comprising ten athletes training on two craft: the Diam 24 and the Flying Phantom. Armed with the solid results secured by its young sailors during the pre-season races and the Tour de France à la Voile (where Team France Jeune topped the youth and amateur leaderboard), the Network invited its protégés and thirteen other racers to participate in a fresh round of selections in early September 2016. The challenge: to recruit and train the crew who will represent France during the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, the prelude to the America’s Cup that will run from 13 to 23 June 2017 in Bermuda, and which will see young international crews doing battle.

A demanding talent-detection programme at the heart of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup

The selection rounds were organised in the week preceding the French act of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series. The 23 youngsters invited to race were assessed by an observation group comprising representatives from the French Sailing Federation, the ENVSN (France’s National Sailing and Watersports school and Groupama Team France. Availability, motivation and compatibility with each person’s training projects, such were the themes tackled during the one-to-one interviews. The athletes were then invited to head over to the sports hall so as the jury could gauge their potential and their physical fitness.

After two studious days, the young racers were finally able to taste the thrill of racing the GC32 placed at their disposal by Groupama Team France. Wisely watching over proceedings, Julien VILLION and Adam MINOPRIO were both guests on-board as a series of rotations ensued at a steady pace over three days so as to give all the athletes a go at the different posts envisaged. In this way, the group was able to get a feel for the boat and familiarise themselves with the manœuvres and the safety demands. It proved to be a kind of baptism of fire for these youngsters, who were able to enjoy a memorable trial sail aboard a GC32 powered up at over 32 knots!

The bay of Toulon dished up some ideal and varied sailing conditions, enabling the observation group to select various profiles, which particularly stood out from the other racers.

Finally, the National Technical Director, Jacques Cathelineau and the skipper of the French Challenge Groupama Team France for the 35th America’s Cup, Franck CAMMAS, confirmed a list of 14 athletes selected:

Guillaume Pirouelle:

“During the selection rounds I gave my absolute all during the physical tests, as I did when steering and communicating aboard the GC32 of course. These boats are pretty stable and fairly safe, and in the end I quickly felt at ease even with very few hours of flying under my belt! The sensations you feel are really incredible! We really did post a peak speed in excess of 32 knots! It was frustrating to have to rotate the crews. On a personal level I’d have really liked to have stayed aboard the whole day! The first day, Adam MINOPRIO climbed aboard with us. I was a bit apprehensive about communicating solely in English with him but in the end everything went very well! He gave us some very good advice for getting a feel for the boat. It was a really fantastic experience!”

Jacques Cathelineau, National Technical Director of the French Sailing Federation:

“Firstly, I’d like to congratulate the members of the observation group, who did an excellent job with the youngsters and who were able to work together to offer a fair and high quality selection process. The selection device benefited from a series of favourable conditions, thanks to the commitment of the Team France Association and the support of the ENVSN. The youngsters were able to sail aboard some exceptional boats in optimum conditions. Together with Franck we were responsible for choosing the 14 youngsters selected who will go on to be part of the preparation. Their profiles and their experiences are varied and meet the requirements of the different posts on the boat. The French Sailing Federation have been adopting a sporting and socio-professional ethos for a long while now with the Youth France device (Inshore and Olympics) and our technicians are well aware of the skills they’re bringing to the plate. I’m sure that those who have been selected will give their all to the project and will be able to move forward as one with a view to successfully representing France at the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.”

So what's next ?

Those youngsters who have been selected will get in some valuable training on the different craft in order to familiarise themselves with sailing aboard flying boats. On the programme: sailing a Flying Phantom, a GC32 and an Extreme 40! For four months, they’ll be able to hone their technical and physical skills and prepare themselves in the best possible conditions with a view to a fresh round of selections in late December. At the end of the year, solely 8 athletes will go on to be part of the adventure within Team France Jeune and form the final crew for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.