Franck Cammas back in the competition

The second event of the 2016 season of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series, the Defender and Challengers meet again, this time in New York City,for a fresh series of battles on the water. Five months on from the accident where he badly hurt his foot while training on a GC32, Franck Cammas is back at the helm of the AC45 one-design Groupama Team France in Manhattan.

Last February, the French challenge, led by Franck Cammas, Michel Desjoyeaux and Olivier de Kersauson welcomed an agreement for five years of support from their new official partner, Norauto. As a European leader in the maintenance and equipment of multi-brand vehicles, the international company joined this ambitious project, which combines human challenge and technological testing.

Thanks to a victory in the last race, Groupama Team France came fourth in the overall ranking in Oman in February, with only two points less than Team New Zealand. The event was won by the English team on BAR, ahead of the Americans on Oracle Team USA. It proved to be a very promising performance for the French team, who is aiming for a podium finish this weekend in New York.

The programme for the coming weekend has six races on the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey. There are likely to be a few complications, mostly due to the current and the forecast for a fairly strong breeze on Sunday.

In the Big Apple, Groupama Team France has, once again, joined up with its appointed skipper, Franck Cammas, who is keen to get back in the driving seat:

“After six months without being able to compete, New York, with its skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty will herald my big comeback. Despite this grandiose background, we’re going to have to be fully focused on maximising the performance of Groupama Team France, as our rivals aren’t going to wait around for us and the race zone isn’t very extensive. Normally, sailing on the Hudson isn’t easy at this time of year: the wind and current may give us a hard time…

I do feel a little apprehensive. However, my reflex actions as a racer soon kicked in and the crew and I did a lot of sailing in March and April, that is, a lot more than last year. By Sunday, we’ll be able to see if all that has paid off. However, our objective is clear: we want to finish in the middle of the table. In Oman, we toyed with the podium. In New York, it’s clearly within our sights!”

The crew of Groupama Team France in New York from 6 to 8 May 2016:
Helmsman / skipper: Franck Cammas
Wing trimmer: Thierry Fouchier
Tactics: Thomas Le Breton
Headsail trimmer: Hervé Cunningham
Bowman: Devan Le Bihan
Replacement: Olivier Herledant

Follow the races on: www.americascup.com

Source: Groupama Team France, Norauto Racing Team media