K-Challenge hangs on

[Source: K-Challenge] The New York Court of Appeals has finally made a decision in favor of the Golden Gate Yacht Club: Club Nautico Español de Vela is not confirmed as Challenger of Record for the 33rd America's Cup.

The Golden Gate Yacht Club is now the Challenger of Record, as per the first Court decision.

The 33rd America's Cup will be a duel between Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing who will face each other, 10 months from now, in a venue that Alinghi will choose. The next multi-challengers America's Cup is postponed, unless they come to an agreement.

K-Challenge Sailing Team to work in continuity

K-Challenge, French team for the 32nd America's Cup, carried on after its first participation between 2004 and 2007. The team anticipated well the situation and had already chosen for a long time not to stop while waiting for this decision, whatever it could be.

The sailing team led by Sebastien Col (ISAF World match racing ranking's number one) keeps on racing, thanks to a programme that will allow the team to take part to the next multi-challengers America's Cup with a group coming from the new generation and having a strong common experience, which is an essential ingredient to be competitive and powerful in this event.

The K-Challenge Sailing Team's machine is on, with promising results in 2008 and a Runner Up title on the World Match Racing Tour for Seb Col. The French team also took part to the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series among the 10 best teams in the world in February 2009, before starting a complete season on the World Match Racing Tour (10 events) and the RC44 circuit (6 events).

K-Challenge Sailing Team: more challenges as a target!

The team is considering to take part to the Tour de France à la Voile as soon as possible in order to reinforce its programme, and to prepare the group thanks to other types of boats. The Tour is also a place where it is possible to meet and to test many crew members.

(as a reminder, K-Challenge is also involved in the pitch for the renewing of the Tour de France à la Voile´s official boat from 2011, which is a collaboration with Russell Coutts and the Pauger boat yard. This association is currently one of the three finalists.)

The team is also examining other projects on top level circuits, in order to reinforce its 2010 programme, still with the America's Cup as an ultimate goal.

K-Challenge owns a 24m Version 5 America's Cup Class boat, and all the required infrastructure, which are ideal and unique tools in France to train a team towards the America's Cup.

Stephane Kandler, K-Challenge's CEO: "This situation had to come to an end, and this is now done. May the best win on the water. The America's Cup is an historical event, and it has come through a lot of similar situations in the past, we mustn't forget that. It will come out even stronger out of that. In the meantime, the K-Challenge Sailing Team has already chosen to use the time given to work with the new generation which will challenge in the next America's Cup. This is a new approach, that we never had the chance to benefit from in France in this mythical competition, and we will work more than ever to catch it! We absolutely need to have a long term vision if we want to win this competition one day, and this is for that reason we've never stopped fighting with my team in 8 years!"

Sébastien Col's season kick offs at Marseille International Match Race

[Source: K-Challenge] Back from the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in Auckland, New Zealand, where Sebastien Col led K-Challenge's team against the best America's Cup skippers to launch the 2009 season, he will race again with most of them this year on the World Match Racing Tour. Sebastien will have the goal to reach what he missed last year for a few points only: the Match Racing World Champion title.

So this season looks very promising in terms of sailing show and duels, as most of these “top skippers” will already start the tour at the Marseille International Match Race in order to put all the chances on their side, and to get points, as the MIMR becomes this year the first official event of “sailing's ATP tour”, which is the World Match Racing Tour.

The competition will take place from 9 to 14 March on Marseille's fabulous race course, and will be organized with the support of YCPR (Yachting Club de la Pointe Rouge), which is Sebastien Col's yacht club.

Six teams are already qualified thanks to the new World Tour cards for all the World Tour's events:

1. Ian Williams (GBR) Bahrain Team Pindar – 2 x defending ISAF Match Racing World Champion.
2. Sébastien Col (FRA) French Team/K-Challenge – America’s Cup helmsman and ISAF ranked number one match racer
3. Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Team/Team French Spirit
4. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Shosholoza
5. Adam Minoprio (NZL) Emirates Team New Zealand/Black Match Racing
6. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team

Other top teams are also planning to compete in this year's World Match Racing Tour, such as Ben Ainslie (Team Origin) or Magnus Holmberg (Victory Challenge).

Sebastien Col's team in Marseille will be formed of Christophe Andre, Gilles Favennec and Pascal Rambeau.

Sebastien Col : "I'm very happy for my club, YCPR, and all the club members who helped this event to grow year by year with the support of the French Sailing Federation. It is a great asset for us to have a World Match Racing Tour's event here. We start this season leading the world ranking, and we will prepare the event with a training with the French team in Marseille with our sparring partners. I look forward to sailing again with Pascal Rambeau, as we did a very good test together last year: we won a grade 1 event in Berlin. Everybody in our team was happy to sail with Pascal. With Christophe Andre and Gilles Favennec, we have a very good team. It is up to us to be good and to work properly!"

Sebastien Col and his crew will take part this year to the ten events in the World Match Racing Tour's programme, and they will also sail the Congressional Cup (Long Beach, California, 23-28 March).

Greek Challenge training in Valencia

For the first time ever, a Greek crew sailed an America's Cup yacht. It is taking place throughout the week in Valencia aboard K-Challenge's FRA-93. Sébastien Col and four of his World Match Racing crew are coaching the 25-strong Greek crew, giving them a crash course on ACC yachts. The team will make its maiden appearance in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in two weeks.

Greek Challenge sailing for the first time. Valencia, 13 January 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Greek Challenge

Meanwhile in Valencia... Damiani Italia and Shosholoza train in "polar" conditions

This is probably the closest we can get to "polar" conditions, at least for the taste of most Valencians. It's freezing and raining in Valencia while it's snowing 50 km from here and roads are closed. Yet, at least four America's Cup teams are training or are about to do so and probably a couple more are expected in the next few days, in view of the upcoming Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in Auckland.

We snapped the newly-formed Damiani Italia its way out of the canal while Shosholoza was already out on the water. Fortunately, the choppy seas off Valencia's coast forced the South African boat to come back in the canal in order to hoist the mainsail on more tranquil waters.

Luna Rossa's shore crew was putting the mast on ITA-94 while in the K-Challenge base FRA-93 was being fitted out as training is scheduled to start on Monday. Finally, the arrival of Greek Challenge is expected this weekend while it shouldn't be long before we see Alinghi's SUI-100 off the Malvarosa beach.

Damiani ItaliaDamiani Italia, the team skippered by Vasco Vascotto, helmed by Francesco Bruni and sponsored by Italian jewelers Damiani, went out today for their 2nd training session aboard Victory Challenge's SWE-73, the oldest of the two Swedish boats.

Damiani Italia is using Victory Challenge's SWE-73 to train. Valencia, 9 January 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Francesco Bruni is on the helm, Vasco Vascotto on the phone while there is a patchwork of logos from 32nd AC teams among the crew. Valencia, 9 January 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Damiani Italia is entirely crewed by, you guessed it, Italians. Valencia, 9 January 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

ShosholozaThe South African boat had docked out earlier than the Italians but we got lucky. With the sea being very choppy they were forced to return to the canal in order to hoist the mainsail. It is interesting to notice that the crew is almost entirely Italian.

It's been a long time we haven't photographed RSA-83 in action. Valencia, 9 January 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Shosholoza crew ready to hoist the mainsail. Valencia, 9 January 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Shosholoza's RSA-83 "disappears" on Valencia's choppy waters. Valencia, 9 January 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Luna RossaThe Italian team's shore crew was masting ITA-94 while we were there and from what we understand training could start as early as tomorrow. Around 40 people are expected to arrive in the base on Friday and Saturday.

Luna Rossa's shore crew masting ITA-94. Valencia, 9 January 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

K-Challenge unveils crew for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series

[Source: K-Challenge] K-Challenge is proud to introduce its crew list for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series which will be held in Auckland, New Zealand, from 1-14 February 2009.

This team that was gathered by Sebastien Col will arrive in Auckland on January 23, in order to start the training with the nine other competing teams. FRA93 is now ready to sail again, and a training session against other teams is now being organized for January.

Stephane Kandler, K-Challenge CEO: “The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series will be a fantastic opening for the 2009 season for K-Challenge, who will represent France for this great event, which is going to be exceptional. Sebastien Col gathered a top quality team with him: they are sailors who have a huge experience of America’s Cup Class boats and of match racing, besides their impressive prize lists. Our goal will be to use the maximum out of this potential, and our leitmotiv will be to go as far as possible in the competition.”

Sebastien Col and his K-Challenge crew won the Portugal Match Cup. From left (holding the trophies) Olivier Douillard, Frederic Guilmin, Christophe André, Gilles Favennec and Sebastien Col. Troia, 28 September 2008. Photo copyright Wander Roberto

Crew list- Bow: Jean-Marie Dauris (United Internet Team Germany 2007, Le Défi Areva 2003)
- Mid-bow: Christophe André (Areva Challenge 2007, Equipe de France de Match Racing with Sebastien Col)
- Mast: Jann Neergaard (BMW Oracle Racing 2007, Alinghi 2003)
- Pit: Gilles Favennec (Areva Challenge 2007, Equipe de France de Match Racing with Sebastien Col, Le Défi Areva 2003)
- Pit Assist: Bruno Jeanjean (America’s Cup with the French teams in 1992 and 1995)
- Grinder: Federico Giovanelli (Desafio Español 2007, Prada Challenge 2003)
- Grinder: Carlo Castellano (Desafio Español 2007, Mascalzone Latino 2003, Il Moro de Venezia 1992)
- Trimmer / Spinnaker: Olivier Douillard (Areva Challenge 2007, Equipe de France de Match Racing with Sebastien Col, Le Défi Areva 2003)
- Trimmer / Jib: Christian Scherrer (+39 Challenge 2007, Alinghi 2003, Equipe de France de Match Racing with Sebastien Col)
- Grinder: Enrico de Maria (Alinghi 2007, 2003)
- Trimmer / Main Sail: Yann Gouniot (Alinghi 2007, France3 1995, Ville de Paris 1992, French Kiss 1987, France3 1983
- Traveller: Erwan Israel (Equipe de France de Match Racing with Sebastien Col)
- Helmsman: Sebastien Col (Areva Challenge 2007, Le Défi Areva 2003)
- Tactician: Rod Dawson (BMW Oracle Racing 2007, Oneworld 2003)
- Strategist: Fred Guilmin (Areva Challenge 2007, Equipe de France de Match Racing with Sebastien Col, Le Défi Areva 2003)
- Grinder : Virgilio Torrecilla (Desafio Español 2007, Bravo España 2000)
- Navigator : Philippe Mourniac (United Internet Team Germany 2007, Le Défi Areva 2003, Ville de Paris 1992)

Sebastien Col and his K-Challenge crew won the Portugal Match Cup. Troia, 28 September 2008. Photo copyright Wander Roberto

“It is a great satisfaction to have gathered a powerful crew for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series with K-Challenge”, says Sebastien Col. “In this team, we will have seven sailors who took part to the 2008 World Match Racing Tour with me; moreover they all won at least one of the events of the circuit.

For the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, I relied on several people to build the best team by co-optation, so that each person in the group has already sailed at least once with another one. So we have a group that starts with common human bases.

It has been a lot of work, but my method was to involve a maximum of team members in the building of the team, looking at the people working together on board.”

Jean-Pierre Champion, President of the FFVoile, French Sailing Federation concludes: “The crew looks really promising, with several young talents coming from the French Match Racing team, as for example most of the guys in the afterguard. This recruitment is the result of the work that the K-Challenge team carried out these last months. Besides, they are also the only French team competing in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Louis Vuitton for the organization of that event which will mark the beginning of the 2009 season.”

Sebastien Col wins the Berlin Match Race

[Source: K-Challenge] Sébastien Col wins the Berlin Match Race with Gilles Favennec, Christophe André and Pascal Rambeau, in a very light wind of 4 to 6 knots.

After having won the semi-final against Damien Iehl, Sébastien wins the final against Philippe Presti.

Sebastien Col from Berlin : “today we really improved and we got better compared to the other days. We had a little lack of speed in the semi-final against Damien Iehl which was a very tight match, but we sailed well. Against Philippe Presti, we managed to start on the best side from the beginning, sailing on the right side of the race course. We’re very happy, and this was a very promising first experience with Pascal Rambeau.”

Sébastien Col races in the Berlin Match Race in very light winds. Berlin, 2 November 2008. Photo copyright Stephan Zimmermann

Next important competition will now be the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia, December 3-7, where the World Match Racing Tour title will be awarded.

Sebastien Col about the Monsoon Cup 2008:

“My first goal is the WMRT title, the second one is the Monsoon Cup regatta itself.

We will decide on Monday who will sail with Gilles Favennec, Christophe André, Christian Scherrer and I, that is to say we will decide which sailor will be in charge of tactics. Then we will see how we will prepare ourselves in the last run before flying to Malaysia.

We’re also looking forward to the confirmation of the entry list, as it could have an influence on the way we will manage the regatta. For the moment, we could face 10 teams with a very high level who could potentially win the Monsoon Cup. The confirmed entries are the 5 firsts of the WMRT, (Williams, Col, Richard, Minoprio, Mirsky and Holmberg), Gilmour, possibly Barker, Baird, Ainslie, one other sailor, and the 2 ones who went through the qualifications.

So we don’t think too much about the Monsoon Cup results, we will have to be ready in the best shape, highly motivated as always, and above all, we’ll have to be confident.

This year has already been a big “bonus” for us, and now there might be “a cherry on the top of the cake” as we say in French.

Our goal is to win the WMRT title, not pretending we can win the Monsoon Cup. This year has been a bit exceptional for us. I have met a lot of sailors and I have tested many crew configurations. We did a great job in the end as the results were there too. At the Monsoon Cup, we will fight hard and give our maximum, as we always do with my team.”

K-Challenge presents 2009 program; to enter the RC44 circuit

After the announcement of K-Challenge 2’s strategy in March, based on the continuity of the 32nd America’s Cup experience, and on the new generation, K-Challenge prepares for action on water in 2009 with the support of the French Ministry of Sports and the French Sailing Federation.

The team will take part to several international high level circuits, with a first stage at the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, in Auckland from 1st to 14th February 2009.

K-Challenge can also count on additional partners, in particular an innovative media partnership that will enable regular media exposure all year round.

THE 2009 SEASON

The objective of the season will be to gather the people that have been identified in 2008 on several projects, in order to finalize the future crew.

K-Challenge will participate to the RC44 circuit, created by Russell Coutts (triple America’s Cup winner). Based on the America’s Cup model, the RC44 is one of the toughest sailing circuits, because it is raced on boats that are similar to America’s Cup Class boats, it mixes fleet and match racing, and it gathers the big names of the America’s Cup (Russell Coutts, James Spithill, Ben Ainslie, Sébastien Col, etc.).

Russell Coutts, Founder and co-designer of the RC44 Class, triple America’s Cup winner: “The RC 44 Class is very pleased to welcome Stephane Kandler and K-Challenge. The Championship Tour already unites top level sailing teams from all over the world and it is great to welcome a French team. K-Challenge is a serious America’s Cup team and the RC 44 Championship Tour will be a great platform for them.”

On the other hand, Sébastien Col will participate, amongst others, to the World Match Racing Tour with the support of the French Sailing Federation, with the goal to win the World Title. The World Match Racing Tour unites the 10 majors match racing events on 3 continents.

Last but not least, the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series will be the launch of the 2009 season.

For the first time, the public will be able to follow up regularly the results and discover what is behind the scenes of a sailing team preparing the America’s Cup.

A FIRST MEDIA PARTNER : THE CANAL+ GROUP

As in the last America’s Cup, the Canal+ Group renews its partnership with K-Challenge. It will help the team to raise awareness through the regular broadcast of the season’s images, as well as special programs dedicated to K-Challenge and its sponsors.

Bertrand Meheut, CEO of Canal+: « The CANAL+ GROUP is proud to have followed K-Challenge during the 32nd America’s Cup. There for it was natural to continue our partnership with the team who is the most qualified to lead a competitive French project in the next edition. »

3 NEW TECHNOLOGICAL PARTNERS

Dimitri Nicolopoulos, K-Challenge’s Technical Director: “We are proud to have established a set of partnership with leading technology companies worldwide. Discussions with our partner’s experts are helping us develop tools and methods that will allow us, once time will come, to focus on design rather than ask ourselves useless questions. Dassault Systemes help us develop a CATIA based environment from the drawing board to structural composite numerical simulations and production. CD-ADAPCO Star-ccm+ is able to predict very accurately hull and appendages performances. Frienship Consulting tools are useful to combine aero and hydro results and choose the most efficient solutions. Oxalya with its virtual nodes® solution allows us to access the hardware resources needed to run all these numerical simulations.”

THE SUPPORT OF THE FRENCH INSTITUTIONS

Bernard Laporte, Secrétaire d'Etat chargé des Sports, de la Jeunesse et de la Vie Associative: « K-Challenge was the French National Team in the 32nd America's Cup, and chose the continuity since the end of the last edition in order to capitalize on its experience to prepare the future. K-Challenge « 2 » relies now on the new generation. It counts members of the French Match Racing Team, and in particular Sébastien Col who is a reference in the disciplin. This is why, like the French Sailing Federation, I support this effort and this great team. »

Jean-Pierre Champion, President of the French Sailing Federation: « The French Sailing Federation is pleased with the effort of K-Challenge to participate to the next America’s Cup, which is one the major events of our sport.

The French Sailing Federation supports Stéphane KANDLER and its team in order to achieve such a challenge. It will follow with interest the implication of K-Challenge on the RC44 circuit, which ensures a French representation on this international circuit.”

Stephane Kandler, CEO of K-Challenge concludes: «K-Challenge gets stronger with the arrival of new partners and the support of the French institutions, which I wish to thank for their trust.

The results achieved on the water and by our design team confirm our potential.

We are going a step further with the 2009 program that we present today. Our objectives are ambitious and thanks to the innovative media partnerships we are offering, our future sponsors will have a guaranteed permanent and qualitative media exposure. »

Sébastien Col wins Troia Portugal Match Cup

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] Second win on the 2008 World Tour, earned 2-0 against runner-up Magnus Holmbe

After a long day that started with having to defeat one of his own team mates from the French Match Racing Team, Sebastian Col (FRA) and his crew of Gilles Favennec, Christophe Andre, Philippe Mourniac, and Olivier Douliard have won the Troia Portugal Match Cup. Getting past Magnus Holmberg (SWE) and his Victory Challenge team 2-0 in an exciting Final series, Col and crew have taken the top prize of US$30,000 of the $125,000 purse and earned 25 points on the 2008 World Tour leaderboard.

“We started the day with a lot of pressure on us,” said the mild-mannered Col, “since we felt that any of us could win, so we didn’t sail very well. But after beating Damien Iehl, we relaxed and started to really focus, and I think we sailed much better against Magnus in the Finals.”

Col and his French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge crew had to get better, as the conditions became increasingly challenging throughout the day for the remaining teams in the competition. Besides the fresh 15-22 knot easterly blowing straight down the Rio Sada in front of the Troia Resort Marina, the other huge factor today was the strong tidal current, which reached a staggering 4 knots at its peak. This made pre-start and mark rounding tactics interesting and at times unconventional: for example, against the strong ebb current which lie nearly parallel to the wind, it was almost always better to tack than gybe in the pre-starts, and the mark roundings became tricky maneuvers at best. Windward legs were long, drawn out affairs, while runs were over in a flash.

But the day didn’t start with this strong ebb – in fact, it started with a weak flood and a cloud of uncertainty, as three teams in the morning’s final flight of the Round Robin had a shot for the last remaining spot in the Semi-Finals. With Paolo Cian (ITA) from Team Shosholoza defeating Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and the Mirsky Racing Team in the second match, all eyes were on the final run of the third match, where Bjorn Hansen (SWE) and his Alandia Sailing Team were fully entangled in a furious, spinnaker-flogging luffing match with Damien Iehl (FRA) and his quartet of crew from the French Match Racing Team on the final run to the finish. Just metres short of the line, Iehl’s one last luff managed to get his SM40 across by what PRO Miguel Allen said was “20 centimetres,” thus earning him the win and the tie-break to the Semis.

Since yet another member of the French Match Racing Team, Mathieu Richard, was on top from the Round Robin, he was free to choose Holmberg to play, the only non-French team in the stage. It didn’t start well for the mostly-Swedish team (which includes US-based trimmer Charlie McKee): down 2-0 in the first-to-three point series, and with an all-French final looking imminent, Holmberg rallied in the third match to lead Richard around the track and even draw a penalty on his French rival at their bottom mark turn. In a close fourth match, Richard got managed to get past Holmberg on the run towards the bottom mark, but the building ebb tide and an aggressive and clever defense of the inside position took the pair past the mark and had them both sailing back upwind to it in the face of wind and tide. A disastrous kite drop by the French allowed Holmberg to waltz through into a convincing win to bring the series even.

In the last match, Holmberg chose the right side of the beat, Richard the left, and while right was initially favored, it soon caved in, so when Holmberg tacked to cover the closing French, he did so a little too close, earning him a penalty. He still kept the lead by tacking back left, getting to the top and bottom marks first, and extending enough on the beat to do his penalty turn before Richard closed to within only 2 lengths at the finish downwind.

And while Col and Iehl tangled horns in all their matches, Col emerged from the series with his required three points in only four matches, with a collision to Iehl’s stern in a misjudged cross and resultant penalty being the only blemish to his record.

With a major wind shift requiring course realignment and a new boat to rig, the decision was made to shorten the Finals and Petit-Finals to first-to-two points. So, under increasing clouds, breeze, tide, and approaching rain, the stage seemed to have more fireworks among the two French teams in the Petit-Final, with Iehl and Richard taking one each under the watchful eyes of match umpires Manuel Santos Silva (POR) and Pedro Rodrigues (POR) before Richard finally prevailed in a relatively benign third match.

And in the Finals, Holmberg and Col initially split off to different sides of the first beat, with a shoal area on the left side providing a little more relief from the gushing tide than the beach side on the right. Since Col got there and controlled that side better, he led throughout the first match and even managed to extend enough to wipe off a pre-start penalty levied by match umpires Bill Edgerton (GBR) and Alfredo Ricci (ITA) in the second to take the overall win.

The Troia Portugal Match Cup was the seventh of nine stages on the World Match Racing Tour. “This was a great regatta for us,” said event Director Justino Machado, “and we look forward to having the construction completed here at Troia Resort for an even better event next year.”

OVERALL RESULTS
1. Sebastian Col (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge
2. Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Victory Challenge
3. Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit
4. Damien Iehl (FRA), French Match Racing Team
5. Paolo Cian (ITA), Team Shosholoza
6. Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team
7. Ian Williams (GBR), Team Pindar
8. Alvaro Marinho (POR), Seth Sailing Team
9. Adam Minoprio (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing
10. Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Alandia Sailing Team
11. Manuel Weiller (ESP)
12. Nick Cherry (GBR), Cherry Racing Team

Full video of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series presentation

We publish the entire 27-minute video of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series that took place in the premises of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on Monday, September 15th. It is quite an interesting video not only because it provides more details on this upcoming regatta but also because of the lengthy intervention by Grant Dalton, CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand.

Since the presentation, two teams have made their participation public, K-Challenge and BMW Oracle.

Official presentation of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series at the premises of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Auckland, 15 September 2008

K-Challenge, first team to express interest in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series

[Source: K-Challenge] The « Louis Vuitton Pacific Series » will be held in 2009 by Louis Vuitton in association with the New Zealand Government, from February 1 - 14, which is less than five months from now. The competition will gather teams which already took part to the Louis Vuitton Cup in the past.

This new event comes with a perfect timing, as K-Challenge will introduce its 2009 sailing programme next October 13 in Paris. The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series will be the perfect event to add to the team’s preparation towards the next America’s Cup.

This friendly competition will allow to a maximum of eight teams to compete in duels with the Emirates Team New Zealand’s boats from the 32nd America’s Cup. Some configuration changes will be made on both boats to ensure even racing, and so that the teams get equal chances. There will be a drawing before each race, just as in a classical match racing competition.

Stephane Kandler, K-Challenge’s CEO: “The fact that this event is organized by Louis Vuitton, an America’s Cup’s historical sponsor, is great news for all the sports community. It is the perfect opportunity to have a positive impact for the future of the oldest sports trophy in the world, and K-Challenge is more determined than ever to bring it back with a new generation who already represented France in the last edition.

Our team never stopped to prepare itself by getting sports results which proved the quality and the relevance of the choices that were made so far. K-Challenge will introduce new partners and the details of an innovative and ambitious sailing programme on October 13, in which this new event will fit perfectly.”

K-Challenge continues preparation for next America's Cup

[Source: K-Challenge] The America’s Cup will come to a final judgment in the court case between Alinghi's and BMW Oracle Racing's yacht clubs, even if some ultimate stages will still be necessary, like what happened in late July and with the process that has been engaged at the New York State Court of Appeals.

Whatever the final result will be, this decision can occur any time now, and will allow to set the date of the next multi challengers America’s Cup, shall a one to one America’s Cup be raced or not before (the Deed of Gift Challenge between Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing).

K-Challenge continues its preparation in order to be ready when the race against time for the next multi-challengers America’s Cup will start, as everything will go fast once the new schedule will be released. The teams which will already be operational on the methodological, technical, sailing and logistics aspects will be the ones able to compete with real performance chances.

As announced in March 2008, the French team will now start a high level sailing project, in order to create the essential common experience between its team members.

This second phase comes up after having worked a lot this year for the launch of a team based on the new generation (key members’ detection, start of the common work and methodology validation). The basics of the team’s sailing programme were also put in place, thanks to Sebastien Col’s participation to the World Match Racing Tour (now 2nd of the general ranking after the Danish Open), and to the international RC44 circuit (Sebastien is the leader of the circuit after 4 events). Sebastien Col particularly focused on the detection of his future crew members, but also on getting as much experience as possible on other highly technical boats, like the TP52 and GP42.

K-Challenge will introduce its 2009 season programme mid-October. A press conference will be held in Paris, with all the team’s key members and some America’s Cup personalities.

K-Challenge, French Challenger for the 34th America's Cup

The America's Cup situation move on positively last week with the NY court decision, the project of a competition with challengers series in 2011 is more realistic than ever.

After a preparation period which began at the end of the last America's Cup in Valencia, K-Challenge never stopped working, and the team is now happy to reveal its program for the 34th America's Cup.

The essentials of K-Challenge 2

K-Challenge is back in the America's Cup quest and will carry again the colors of its yacht club, Le Cercle de la Voile de Paris, with a determined group built around a “core team” whose members want to work and to succeed together.

The team’s strategy will consist in building and capitalizing on the experience and the assets of K-Challenge 1 in the 32nd America's Cup, while relying on a new generation to benefit from its talent and its enthusiasm.

K-Challenge already has significant assets that make it an operational team: an operational base and boats ready to sail in Valencia, a structure, tools and tested methods, but the team also benefits from a selection of the best French and international specialists, thanks to an experience of more than 20 years in sailing at the highest level.

An Executive Committee, led by Stephan Kandler, defines the general strategy of the project and ensures the daily management of the team through 3 main departments (Sailing, Technical and Administrative). The Executive Committee manages this new generation team, which will get the chance to express itself through K-Challenge with its talent and its great motivation.

A board of trustees made of French top managers and experienced personalities, (Bertrand Meheut, Laurent Bourgnon are part of the ones who already joined this board), will also assist the Executive Committee in the key moments of the project and will help to promote this national challenge beyond sports and sailing.

Moreover, K-Challenge is officially supported by the French Sailing Federation.

Bertrand Meheut: “The accumulated experience of K-Challenge and the tenacity of Stephan Kandler are at the base of a credible and powerful French challenger ready to go for the next America's Cup. This ambitious and solid project represents a real chance of success for the French match-racing. And I am proud, on a personal basis, to give them all my support there.”

Sébastien Col (left) and Sébastien Josse. Paris, 27 March 2008. Photo copyright K-Challenge

The new generation: K-Challenge’s talents

K-Challenge is proud to count among its sailors some of the confirmed talents of the new generation such as Sebastien Col and Sebastien Josse.

Both lived various experiences with real responsibilities in ambitious projects, such as the America's Cup, the Vendée Globe or the Volvo Ocean Race.

These two key members of the future sailing team are already strongly engaged in their respective sailing preparation from 2008, which will enable them to get additional experience.

Sébastien Col will be involved in particular on the international match racing and the RC44 circuits, where he will regularly sail against some great names of the America's Cup like Russell Coutts or James Spithill.

Sebastien Josse, skipper of the BT IMOCA 60 (which will be christened on April 29) is engaged in the IMOCA 2008 - 2009 championship. His first priority will be to be fully dedicated to his sports program including the Vendée Globe, before increasing his involvement in the K-Challenge project in 2010.

This mix of a popular offshore sailor and an America’s Cup specialist will also make it possible to create a larger interest from the public.

Sébastien Col: “we are clearly in the continuity of the first K-Challenge project which was already based on an open minded concept. The new team will make it possible to gather people around sailors of the new generation, and who already have experience in various fields. This new project will pay a very particular attention to the balance of the group, and the complementarities between its members.”

A guaranteed budget to deliver performance!

The first steps of the K-Challenge program will be the detection of new members, research and validation of design processes and tools, the start of common team work, in particular for the Design Team, already at work, and which will be officially presented in April 2008.

The principal objective of K-Challenge is now to gather sponsors to guarantee the irrevocable participation of the team in the America's Cup in 2011, with a minimum budget of 20 million Euros.

A 4 years program is marketed by the team with a title sponsor accessible for 5 million Euros per year.

Stephan Kandler concludes: “K-Challenge 2 is the fruit of a reflection carried out since the end of the last America's Cup. Our concept is inspired by our first experience, but more especially by the model developed by Team New Zealand at the end of the Eighties. The ambition is to rely on a talented generation and a strong will to work together without fear of the competition. We know that the road is long until we reach the level of this model, but France has the potential, and the people of K-Challenge 2 have the capacity to do it. I particularly thank our first partner who was convinced so early by our values and our project.”

K-Challenge continues its preparation for the 34th America's Cup

[Source: K-Challenge] FINALLY! After several weeks of waiting, K-Challenge welcomes the decision of the New York State Supreme Court and Judge Cahn with satisfaction, since everything will be ruled on the water regarding the case which opposed Alinghi, the Defender, and BMW Oracle Racing, the confirmed Challenger of Record.

Thus, the 33rd edition of the America's Cup will be a duel between these two teams in multihulls, and will take place in 2008 or 2009.

That is to say, the next competition with selections between challengers (the 34th edition) will probably take place in 2011, in Valencia, as announced by Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing.

Yesterday evening’s breaking news was also welcomed with enthusiasm by all the America’s Cup and sports community, and it makes it now possible for K-Challenge to come up for the second time as a French challenger for the 34th America's Cup.

K-Challenge: a determined team gathered around a project

K-Challenge has started to work in all fields for several months with an intact determination in order not to waste time, in spite of the bounces which happened in the event lately.

The important thing was not to lose sight of the principal objective, which is to represent France in a competitive way for the next America's Cup opened to challengers.

In order to do that, Stephan Kandler brought the various actors who will constitute K-Challenge’s “core team” together in the sailing, technical and design fields. They’ve already put behind them all the team’s preparation phase to be able to enter directly in the heart of each subject at all levels. So the choice of the key people has already been done, and the first works have already started.

Stephan Kandler, K-Challenge’s CEO: “We are ready and happy to learn the decision from the New York Supreme Court. This proves that we made the good assumption since October 2007, while working in the shade with the objective to be able to take part in a competition in 2011. That will simply allow the team which we put together to continue on its way and to reach a higher speed. Besides, K-Challenge supports the initiative of a circuit with V5 ACC boats in 2008 with the other challengers, in order to start the sports activity as soon as possible.”

Thus, thanks to its experience in the 32nd America's Cup, the existing structure and the assets of this French team, K-Challenge was initially concentrated on a priority task to build a competitive challenge and to play a true role as outsider. This task was to gather the right people around its project for the 34th America's Cup.

Presentation of the programme and key members on March 27

The team has been working for several months, and the next stage will allow on March 27 to introduce the details of its program and its key members who will be the heart of the French challenger K-Challenge. It will also be the perfect opportunity for the team to introduce with pride its first sponsor who chose to support K-Challenge with this new project.