America’s Cup – Parigi – Presentata oggi la stagione di K-Challenge, sfidante francese alla Coppa America. Il team di Stephan Kandler, di cui è skipper Sebastien Col, vivrà un 2009 particolarmente intenso. Oltre all’ingresso di nuovi sponsor, del rinnovato accordo con la Federvela francese e di un media partner come Canal +, il sindacato transalpino ha in animo di prendere parte ai principali eventi del calendario agonistico, al fine di farsi trovare pronto nel momento in cui la situazione di Coppa America dovesse sbloccarsi. Tra gli impegni certi, la partecipazione alle Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, la frequantazione del circuito del match race internazionale e quella dell’RC44 Championship Tour, nell’ambito del quale ad essere utilizzato è il monotipo disegnato da Russell Coutts e Andrey Justin.
K-Challenge announces ita 2009 program, new partners and a media deal with the Canal+ Group
[singlepic=551,250,170,,left][K-Challenge Press Release] After the announcement of K-Challenge 2’s strategy in March, based on the continuity of the 32nd America’s Cup experience, and on the new generation, K-Challenge prepares for action on water in 2009 with the support of the French Ministry of Sports and the French Sailing Federation.
The team will take part to several international high level circuits, with a first stage at the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, in Auckland from 1st to 14th 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.
The 2009 season
The objective of the season will be to gather the people that have been identified in 2008 on several projects, in order to finalize the future crew.
K-Challenge will participate to the RC44 circuit, created by Russell Coutts. Based on the America’s Cup model, the RC44 is one of the toughest sailing circuits, because it is raced on boats that are similar to America’s Cup Class boats, it mixes fleet and match racing, and it gathers the big names of the America’s Cup (Russell Coutts, James Spithill, Ben Ainslie, Sébastien Col, etc.).
Russell Coutts, founder and co-designer of the RC44 Class, triple America’s Cup winner: “The RC44 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 RC44 Championship Tour will be a great platform for them”.
On the other hand, Sébastien Col will participate, amongst others, to the World Match Racing Tour with the support of the French Sailing Federation, with the goal to win the World Title. The World Match Racing Tour unites the ten majors match racing events on three continents. Last but not least, the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series will be the launch of the 2009 season. For the first time, the public will be able to follow up regularly the results and discover what is behind the scenes of a sailing team preparing the America’s Cup.
A first media-partner: Canal +
As in the last America’s Cup, the Canal+ Group renews its partnership with K-Challenge. It 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+: “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”.
Three new technological partners
Dimitri Nicolopoulos, K-Challenge’s Technical Director: “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”.
The support of french institution
Bernard Laporte, Secrétaire d’Etat chargé des Sports, de la Jeunesse et de la Vie Associative: “K-Challenge was the French National Team in the 32nd America’s Cup, and chose the continuity since the end of the last edition in order to capitalize on its experience to prepare the future. K-Challenge 2 relies now on the new generation. It counts members of the French Match Racing Team, and in particular Sébastien Col who is a reference in the disciplin. This is why, like the French Sailing Federation, I support this effort and this great team”.
Jean-Pierre Champion, President of the French Sailing Federation: “The French Sailing Federation is pleased with the effort of K-Challenge to participate to the next America’s Cup, which is one the major events of our sport. The French Sailing Federation supports Stéphane Kandler and its team in order to achieve such a challenge. It will follow with interest the implication of K-Challenge on the RC44 circuit, which ensures a French representation on this international circuit”.
Stephane Kandler, CEO of K-Challenge concludes: «K-Challenge gets stronger with the arrival of new partners and the support of the French institutions, which I wish to thank for their trust. The results achieved on the water and by our design team confirm our potential. We are going a step further with the 2009 program that we present today. Our objectives are ambitious and thanks to the innovative media partnerships we are offering, our future sponsors will have a guaranteed permanent and qualitative media exposure”.
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