C Class Cup cancelled

Lack of support for next month's French warm-up to the International C Class Catamaran Championship

It is with great regret that Challenge France, French challenger for the next International C Class Catamaran Championship has been forced to cancel the C Class Cup 2013 they were organising, due to a lack of entries.

The C Class Cup was due to be held at the end of May in the Bay of Quiberon in partnership with the French National Sailing Centre (Ecole Nationale de Voile et des Sports Nautiques) and was intended to be the first ever French C Class Catamaran event.

The organisers are studying opportunities to reschedule the regatta as soon as the C Class increases in numbers in Europe. In arranging the C Class Cup the organisers received support and expressions of interest from potential sponsors, partners and institutions demonstrating the full viability of the concept.

"We would like to thank all our partners that have backed us since the inception of the project and particularly, the ENVSN, The French Sailing Federation (FFV), The Conseil Général du Morbihan and the Mer et Média communication agency as well as all the volunteers. The next big event for the C Class remains the ICCCC due to be held in Falmouth over 21-28 September.

"Training sessions for Challenge France will restart in the coming weeks after the winter refit for Patient Lady VI. The whole team is keen to compete in the next ICCCC and is looking forward to the first regattas in Falmouth in September."

Challenge France team comprises Karine Fauconnier, Gwenolé Gahinet, Hervé Penfornis, Nicolas Felix and Benjamin Muyl. The team has been training at the ENVSN, around Quiberon Bay since 2011 with the legendary C Class Catamaran Patient Lady VI, .

Challenge France has been backed by ABM Manutention since July 2012. The team is still looking for additional partners and sponsors to continue ongoing developments and in particular to start the construction of a new generation of C Class Catamaran.