K-Challenge going ahead

Regatta program for 2009 and some new partnerships

After the announcement back in march of K-Challenge 2’s strategy towards the next multi-challenger America's Cup, the French Cup team have announced its schedule for 2009. This they have done with the support of the French Ministry of Sports and the French Sailing Federation.

The team will take part to several international high profile circuits, with a first being the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, in Auckland on 1-14 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.

K-Challenge will also participate on the RC44 circuit where they will experience the class' unique mix of fleet and match racing at its championship regattas, while competing with other big names from the America’s Cup such as Russell Coutts, James Spithill, Ben Ainslie, Sébastien Col, etc.

Russell Coutts, founder and co-designer of the RC44 Class, commented: “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.”

Meanwhile Sébastien Col will continue to participate on the World Match Racing Tour with the support of the French Sailing Federation, with the goal to win the next World championship tour title.

As in the last America’s Cup, the Canal+ Group will renew its partnership with K-Challenge. This 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+ commented: "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."

The team are also announcing three new technological partners. Dimitri Nicolopoulos, K-Challenge’s Technical Director outlines this: “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.”