Le Défi have secured € 30 millions (11/11/01)   (source : lequipe.fr)

A mysterious "technological company", wich identity are expected to be named before the end of the month, have signed a multimillion-euros deal to sponsor le Défi campaign for the next America's Cup. " That makes a strange effect realize that our dream comes true. One month ago, we wondered if we had done all this job for nothing" said Luc Gelluseau, the Technical director of Le Défi. Before the official announcement, the French syndicate will not detailed their sponsorship figures, but sources told that Le Défi have secured a little over 50 per cent of the money they need to cover the campaign. Monster.fr and Bouygues Telecom - who are finaly back on board - are believed to have contributed about €7,5 million in cash. The City of Lorient have negotiated a €4,5 million deal with Le Défi. Finally, other corporates supplying more than €3 million of services and furniture for the campaign.

Beginning of French boat-building (11/01/01)   (source : sailonline.fr)

Next week (Nov. 5), after one year of intensive working up for the French Design Team, Multiplast yard will begin to built the new french International America’s Cup Class (IACC) for Le Défi, the Lorient-based challenger for America’s Cup XXXI. The building Team, led by Gilles Ollier, director of the Multiplast yard, will work hard over the next six months to prepare the new boat. It required about 20 000 man-hours to complete this boat who is to be delivered on may 2002. Multiplast already has considerable experience in building IACC boats, having built "F1" the very first boat to the new rules, in 1990, followed by "Ville de Paris" in 1991 and "Sixième Sens" in 2000.

Le Défi Selects the hull design (10/24/01)   (source : ledefi.com)

Whilst their colleagues in the Sailing Team are training in Lorient with FRA-46 and NZL-32, the members of the French Challenge Design Team are today finalising their choices about hull, a fundamental step in the design of new French's America's Cup racing yacht ("before a second follows possibly"). From october 2000 until february 2001, the Design model the existing IACC on the most realistic way and test them in tank testing and calculation session. " The results allowed to understand what it was spent during the last Cup, to view the approach of the other designers, and to test our tools and our reflections" said Philippe Pallu de la Barrière, first designer of the Team. After that, five new design concepts for hull shape are tested in the towing tank on ¼ scale models of actual IACC at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton, UK. Tank test results are used to refine and validate design ideas that are developed with ICARE (a software of modelling developed by the Ecole Centrale de Nantes) and to choose a final shape for the IACC Hull. Now, the new boat will be constructed and is to be delivered on April/may 2002.

Presti Wins National Match Racing Champ. (10/01/01)   (source : ledefi.com)

Philippe Presti today won his second French National Match Racing Championship with a 3-0 victory over Mathieu Richard. The three-day championship featured France’s top match racers racing in International One Design sloops and was hosted by the Ecole Nationale de Voile in Quiberon (Brittany). Accompanied with the usual crew, Jean Marie Dauris, Philippe Mourniac (both are in selection to join Le Défi Challenge) and Pascal Rambaud (who is in Olympic preparation in Finn), Philippe progressed throughout the competition allowing him to be the best during the last day. " The objective was to get ready for the Lorient international match racing Open, which were regrettably cancelled. Nevertheless, we decided to participate in the French National Match Racing Championship because we had had no match-racing competition since June".

News about French Selections (09/26/01)   (source : ledefi.com)

Pierre Mas, sports director of Le Défi, talks about the latest goings-on in the French America's Cup challenge camp. Le Defi are determined than ever, despite losing their skipper and not have a billionaire behind them. Le Défi launched its sailing program in mid-July at Lorient (britanny) with two IACC yachts, FRA-46 (Monster, former 6eme Sens, the orange boat of the French Challenge in 2000) and NZL-32 (Black Magic, the winning New Zealand boat of the 1995 America’s Cup). The new 2 500 m2 base (currently under construction) will be opened on 19 October 2001. The French syndicate, who stole a place in the semis of the last challenger series, has the cooperation of the French Sailing Federation (FFV) and will be working to bring in more talent from outside the current nucleus. Today, le Défi have about 50 sailors on their team from different horizons (match-racers, Maxi, IMS...). Now, time is coming for selected the group that will compose the crew in the next Louis Vuitton Cup Challengers series. With 53 sailors for 30 places (a one boat campaign ?), no positions have been definitively secured yet. " We are going to pass of a phase of detection with 53 persons in a phase of selection" said Pierre Mas. "On 8 October, a restricted group with around thirty sailors will be appointed and the next two months will be centre towards the performance." The selection had two different approaches. For the place on the bow and for the grinders, specialization and stability are privileged. For the trimmers, Le Défi choose an inverse politic with very frequent rotations. In the meantime, le Défi have decided not to name a skipper (until the eve of the Louis Vuitton Cup series ?). The ultimate job of helmsman could go to any one of the sailors. Philippe Presti (35 year old Finn-dinghy world champion 1993/96 and 2000 Soling World vice-champion ), the young Sébastien Destrémau (former Australian professional yachtsman) and Tim Kröger are also in the running.

A film from the French Challenger (09/12/01)   (source : ledefi.com)

First images (and sounds) from the French Challenge...

The Film (MS Media Player)

Luc Pillot 2nd in the World ISAF Ranking (09/03/01)   (source : ISAF & Sail-online)

For the French, the last World Match-Race Ranking published by ISAF from August 31 2001 brings one curious piece of news. After he finished in a second place during the Swedish Match Cup, Luc Pillot and his crew are in second position, behind Magnus Holmberg (Victory Challenge) but in front of America's Cupper as Peter Holmberg (Oracle Challenge) or TNZ's Bertrand Pacé and Dean Barker. Intervewed in march by Sail-online just after He ended Australia Cup to Perth in the fifth place, Luc Pillot said "I send a proposition (to the Yaka Team) and I received a negative answer. I planned to begin to navigate on April for two years. I received no precise reasons of this choice but in every case I am fixed now...

French Government with Le Défi ? (08/23/01)   (source : sport.fr)

Marie-George Buffet, French Sports Minister, visited Lorient's base and decided to organize a working meeting to finalize an effective partnership beetween the French Government and Le Défi with the aim to help the French participation in the next Cup. Financially, Le Défi have secured a little over 70 per cent of the money they need to cover the next French campaign (F 100 million as the target is 140). The French Government might step in again to bail out Le Défi if a new sponsor could not be found.

First outings for Le Défi Français (07/26/01)   (source : ledefi.com)

Between the ten challengers which will enter in October 2002 in the Louis Vuitton Cup, only five have begun a two boats training session. French team Le Défi is on of them from this Thursday. The waiting and speculation is over. French's return to the America's Cup is reality. Today, the tests at sea have begun for FRA-46 ("Monster", former "Sixième Sens") and NZL-32 (former "Black Magic", winner in '95). For the first time, both boats sailed together in front of Groix Island, in the Lorient Gulf ("Rade de Lorient" in French). During the french summer, the boats will sail together in intense sessions of tests, technical evaluations and match-race racing. The goal of the french team is to begin match racing simulations and test 50 crew members. From this list of people, 26 will be selected to prepare the next America's Cup aboard the two new IACC boats which will be launched in April and May 2002. CALENDAR : First training in Lorient : july/november, 2001 Second training in Lorient : march/july 2002 (new boats are expected for april & may, 2002) Start to Auckland : august 2002

Monster.fr Joins Le Défi Français (07/04/01)   (source : ledefi.com)

The French Challenge for the America's Cup and Monster.fr has just signed an important partnership contract. Monster.fr will become one of the main partners of Le Défi Français and contribute €5 million in cash. Monster.fr is part of Monster.com, the leading global online network for careers, connecting the most progressive companies with the most qualified career-minded individuals. Monster.com is committed to leading the market by offering innovative technology and superior services that give consumers and businesses more control over the recruiting process.