Groupama sailing team update - New lease of life for Groupama 3

by Vincent Borde on 17 Jan 2013 The maxi-trimaran Groupama 3 will join the Banque Populaire team, after six years of good and faithful service at the hands of Franck Cammas and Groupama sailing team, where she will have a new lease of life.

Launched in 2006 and constantly developed by Groupama sailing team's research department, the 31.5-metre trimaran has secured six records in crewed configuration...

• Discovery Route,
• Miami - New York,
• North Atlantic,
• Mediterranean and the
• 24-hour in crewed configuration

... and finally, the famous Jules Verne Trophy, which saw the record slashed to under 50 days for the first time.

Seven months later, Franck Cammas took the start of the Route du Rhum aboard Groupama 3, which had been refitted for singlehanded racing. After a testing Atlantic crossing lasting nearly nine days, the Cammas-Groupama 3 pairing took the win in Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe.

Based in Lorient, Groupama 3 won't have to go far to team up with her new owner: 'I'm happy to see Groupama 3 joining the Banque Populaire team. We know each other well and I'm sure they'll take great care of her. I have so many memories from my time aboard her that her sale cannot leave me impervious. There are the six records, the
Route du Rhum, as well as the capsize, offshore of New Zealand in 2007. Such moments will remain etched on our memory as sailors, together with Groupama's unfailing support, which always enables us to move forward, even in the tough times'. Franck Cammas, Groupama Skipper

Sylvain Burel, Director of Group communication: 'After securing all the offshore multihull victories there are, a page we turned in 2010, we're very proud to see that a very high level team such as Banque Populaire is turning to Groupama for their future challenges and that they can give a new lease of life to this legendary boat, which has been hugely important to the group, its representatives and its contributors. We wish the Banque Populaire team as much success as we've had with Groupama 3 in their future conquests'.

After securing victory in the last Volvo Ocean Race, Groupama and Franck Cammas are launching their preparations for the Olympic Games 2016 and, in 2013, will take part in the C-Class World Championships and the Tour de France à la Voile.

Moreover Franck Cammas, elected Sailor of the Year 2012, has committed himself to a fresh challenge: the 35th America's Groupama Sailing Team website