Orange continues

Bruno Peyron announced future partnership with cellular phone company

Orange France has officially announced its continued partnership with round the world sailor Bruno Peyron. Peyron will set sail on his latest bid to better the Jules Verne Trophy this winter on board a brand new maxi cataramaran, that will again be christened Orange.

The new catamaran, the latest G-class maxi multihull to be built, will measure 37.80m (124ft) long making her a similar size to Steve Fossett's Chayenne (ex- PlayStation). Her construction at Chantier Multiplast in Vannes is complete and she will be revealed to the public there later today.

Like the first generation G-class maxi-multihulls Peyron was responsible for conceiving, the new Orange is again designed by Gilles Ollier and his team including Yann Penfornis, Franck Martin, Jack Michal and Alain Catteliot. The boat is clearly a development of the first generation boats and while being 14ft longer, it also has more freeboard, is more rigid and has a bigger sail plan.

Peyron set the present record time of 64 days 8 hours 37 minutes and 24 seconds for the Jules Verne Trophy non-stop around the world course in March-May 2002 and will be attempting to set a new benchmark time this spring.

Since the old Orange's last voyage two further attempts at breaking her record have failed: Ellen MacArthur dismasted in the Indian Ocean on board Kingfisher II, and Olivier de Kersauson on the trimaran Geronimo was let down by sustained light winds on his way back up the Atlantic.

Following her launch today Orange will begin her sea trials in order to set sail in late February on the record. The crew, currently being carefully selected, and the catamaran’s program for 2004, will be revealed at the ship’s christening ceremony, in January.

For Orange France, France Telecom’s mobile phone division, they feel that the Orange brand shares the strong values associated with this new challenge: user-friendly technology, spirit of conquest, innovation, sustainable development, respect for the environment… Such values should draw a wide audience’s attention, in France and on an international stage.

Peyron latest round-the-world record attempt will provide a unique opportunity for Orange to demonstrate the latest methods of communication on the high seas using France Telecom’s Inmarsat Fleet technology installed aboard the maxi-catamaran which will allow the transmission via satellite of video clips and pictures shot on board during the round the world race.