Louis Vuitton Trophy Series - New team announced

by Stephanie Nadin on 14 Oct 2009
A new era has come, a new top level sailing team is born, gathering its members under the name of ALL4ONE.

Imagine two nations that created the greatest success in the history of the European industry. Imagine two nations teaming up again to launch the first (but long awaited) sailing team of its kind.

That’s no imagination any more as another French-German connection is turning a vision to reality. Two sailing enthusiasts, Stephan Kandler (CEO of K-Challenge) from France and three times Olympic Champion and two times America’s Cup winner Jochen Schümann from Germany, teamed up to create the sailing campaign ALL4ONE which will stand out in the future.

Driven by congenial virtues and excellence in sailing, ALL4ONE has the goal to take up the most challenging and demanding achievements of international team sailing. And the story starts now with the participation of ALL4ONE in the Louis Vuitton Trophy.

Stephane Kandler, K-Challenge's CEO : 'This is an important step in our history after 20 years of investment and involvement in sailing first through K-Yachting our charter company created in 1989 and then K-Challenge who has participated in the last America's Cup. We know each other with Jochen since a long time and finally we realized that we had a close vision and that we were complementary. France and Germany have many good sailors and those two countries have always been the leaders for European major projects, so we are now on the way to launch the foundation of a new international sailing force based on French-German background. This is why we decided to join forces: He will manage the technical and sailing area and I will take care of the management part. With our assets from the last America's Cup, our common experience and all the other people working with us (like the French Sailing Federation, FFV), ALL4ONE is a trustful and powerful platform offering new opportunities for sponsors in our sport. And we are proud that our historical partners Canal+ and Saint Honoré watches are now joined by adidas, which is one of the biggest brands in sport.'

Jochen Schümann, Skipper and Sport Director : 'ALL4ONE will build a new sailing team platform based on inspiration, respect, innovation and performance.

We have set our priorities on four international sailing circuits – Louis Vuitton Trophy, TP52, RC44, World Match Racing Tour – around which we build our team, perform against best sailors of the world and be present for our partners and visible for public all year around.

One common objective is leading us – becoming number ONE.'

ALL4ONE is very proud to announce that adidas has already joined the team as Official Supplier:
'Jochen Schümann, is a world class sailor who has been part of the adidas family for the past 30 years. He works closely with us providing significant support, testimonials and advice to test and develop our perfectly crafted adidas Porsche Design Sport sailing range. We are extremely proud & grateful to have him share his and his team's sailing expertise, allowing us to continuously perfect our sailing specific products.' - Hermann Deininger, CMO, adidas Sport Style Division.

The ALL4ONE team is based on the experience of America’s Cup winners and Olympic Gold medalists as well as on the ambition of young upcoming talents, building an international team with strong roots from Europe, including sailors from France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Italy.

ALL4ONE's crew will be formed of :

Jean-Marie Dauris FRA – Bow (2 America's Cup campaigns)
Christophe André FRA – Mid-bow (1 America's Cup campaign, French Match Racing Team)
Michi Müller GER – Mast (1 America's Cup campaign, Volvo Ocean Race)
Albert Jacobsoone FRA – Pit (7 America's Cup campaigns)
Gilles Favennec FRA – Pit Assist (2 America's Cup campaigns, French Match Racing Team)
Carlo Castellano ITA – Grinder (3 America's Cup campaigns)
Jorge Ondo ESP – Grinder (1 America's Cup campaign)
Virgilio Torrecilla ESP – Afterguard Grinder (2 America's Cup campaigns)
Christian Scherrer SUI – Jib Trimmer (3 America's Cup campaigns, 1 win, Whitbread)
Matti Paschen GER – Spinnaker Trimmer (1 America's Cup campaign)
Peter van Niekerk NED – Mainsail Grinder (2 America's Cup campaigns, 2 wins)
Yann Gouniot FRA – Mainsail Trimmer (5 America's Cup campaigns, 1 win)
Jordi Calafat ESP – Traveller (1 America's Cup campaign, 1 win, Volvo Ocean Race, Olympic Gold Medalist)
Sebastien Col FRA – Helmsman (2 America's Cup campaigns, French Match Racing Team)
John Cutler NZL – Tactician (5 America's Cup campaigns, Olympic Bronze Medalist)
Philippe Mourniac FRA – Navigator (3 America's Cup campaigns, multihull)
Jochen Schümann GER – Skipper and Strategist (3 America's Cup campaigns, 2 wins, 3 times Olympic Gold Medalist, and 1 Silver Olympic medal)
Andrea Pavan ITA - Grinder (1 America's Cup campaign)

The ALL4ONE team has arrived today in Valencia, Spain, where the team members will take up a one week session of sea trials and testing with FRA93. The French-German team's boat will be teamed up with GBR75 to sail as a pair in the Louis Vuitton Trophy – Nice from 7 to 22 November.

ALL4ONE will proudly carry the colors of both yacht clubs Cercle de la Voile de Paris and Kieler Yacht Club:

Cercle de la Voile de Paris, was founded in 1858 and has a long and distinguished history in international sailing. The club was founder of the 'One Ton Cup' and organizer of the sailing competitions of the Olympic Games held in Paris in 1924. The Cercle de la Voile de Paris was also the Yacht Club of Baron Bich, who launched the first French team participating in the America’s Cup in 1974.

Kieler Yacht-Club, Yacht Club of Kiel, is one of the oldest yacht clubs in Germany. It was founded in 1887 as 'Marine Regatta Verein'. In 1891 Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm II became the Commodore of the Club and the Club changed his name to 'Kaiserlicher Yacht Club'. The 'Kieler Yacht Club' is also well known for the annual organization of the 'Keel Week'. Moreover the Olympic sailing competitions in 1936 (Berlin) and 1972 (Munich) took place in the Kiel Bay and the yacht club had a major role in the organization of the regattas.

www.all4onechallenge.com