Areva Challenge is a multicultural (nine nationalities) and multitalented team determined to capture the America's Cup and take it to France. Early in the spring of 2005 it received recognition from the French Sailing Federation as the French team in the 32nd America's Cup.
The team secured the winning boats and designs from the 2000 America's Cup from Team New Zealand buying NZL 57, and leasing the Cup-winning NZL 60, to jump start its campaign. In addition, the team acquired all of the intellectual property and design technology from the 2000-generation Team New Zealand campaign, giving it insight to an America's Cup winning design.
Skipper Thierry Peponnet has the experience of two previous America's Cup campaigns under his belt, and won a Gold Medal in the 1988 and a Bronze Medal in 1984 Olympic Games. He has over 10 years of international level match racing to his credit, along with numerous big-boat championships.
The Areva Challenge can also rely on the vast experience of General Manager Dawn Riley, who won the America's Cup in 1992 as part of the America³ team, and was heavily involved with American teams in 1995 and 2000. Riley has also competed in two Whitbread Round the World Races.
As K-Challenge, the team has been in the middle of the fleet for most of the Louis Vuitton Acts, but exploded for seven wins in the Trapani match racing, including highlight wins over Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand. The result moved the French up to seventh on the season championship table just two points out of a sixth place finish.
In 2006, the team enjoyed the arrival of Areva as a title sponsor but struggled to compete with FRA 60, the second oldest boat in the fleet. Sliding to ninth on the season championship, the French are on equal seventh place (with +39 Challenge) on the Louis Vuitton Ranking for challengers.
www.areva-challenge.org
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