Following the last competition in San Diego last November, Energy Team has slowly but surely continued to build its project, as it looks forward to the 34th America’s Cup. The next event on the World Series calendar will be held in just a few weeks from now in Naples in Italy from 7th to 15th April and the main aim of the French challenger will of course be to confirm the good results reached in San Diego last November.
Energy Team Photo Credit: Gilles Martin-Raget
For the moment, the team is hard at work on every level: racing, the technical aspects, strategy and marketing. As the line up for Naples is being drawn up, an announcement is expected soon about a major agreement, which will allow Energy Team to move up a gear.
Ambition, forward thinking and fast response are the principles behind the French challenger, which has led them to step up the pace and continue to adapt to the increasing importance of the event, planning for various situations and racing programmes in these economically challenging times, where adjustments are always necessary in terms of marketing and finance. After the preparation phase and the hard work done ashore, it is now time for training, commitment and battle out on the water.
Confirming the progress we saw in San Diego
Since the Energy Team project was launched, the goals have been clear and well-planned. They wish to achieve the highest level of racing in the AC45 and get up there with the top teams. Having already obtained two final places and climbed up on the podium several times last November in San Diego, the French showed that they were capable of doing battle with the finest in the world like Oracle or Emirates Team New Zealand. In Naples in April, they will have to confirm these achievements, but also build on their performance, in spite of a lack of training this winter. As Loïck Peyron explains, “We haven’t sailed together on the AC45 since the races in San Diego, but no one has been taking it easy, I can assure you. I took part in the Jules Verne Trophy during the winter and have just got back into the Extreme 40 circuit. Yann Guichard and other members of the team, like Christophe André trained in a MOD 70, while Arnaud Jarlegan confirmed his 18-foot European championship title.”
A new line-up for Naples
Although he will be there in Naples, Loïck Peyron will not be on board Energy Team and as in San Diego, he will be handing over the helm of the French boat to Yann Guichard. As for the crew, the British sailor Peter Greenhalgh will be replaced by the Swiss sailor Arnaud Psarofaghis. Loïck Peyron: “Peter is moving on, largely because of the difficulty we had in communicating on board. Even if Peter’s work has always been excellent, it is tricky talking two languages on the same boat in a race. I just hope that given his immense talent, we’ll be seeing him again in the circuit. The crew of Energy Team for Naples will therefore be entirely French-speaking, including Yann Guichard, Arnaud Jarlegan, Christophe André, Devan Le Bihan and Arnaud Psarofaghis.”
Men at work
The schedule for the French challenger has been drawn up to ensure they are ready in Naples and they will be beginning the training as soon as possible. The technical team has been in Valencia over the past few weeks and have been checking over the boat after she was stripped down in San Diego, so that everything has been verified now for the 2012 season. In Naples, to deal with the light conditions that are expected, the wings of the AC45 will be extended by an additional section at the top (5m2) allowing them to find some more wind higher up and obtain more power. Working along the same lines, Energy Team will be lining up in Naples with a new set of headsails, in order to be even more efficient in the light airs in Italy, first in Naples and then in Venice.
Making sure everything is perfect to get to the Louis Vuitton Cup in an AC72
Energy Team’s partners enable the French team to commit to the AC45 circuit until the final races planned for the summer of 2013 in San Francisco. But Energy Team is stepping up the pace (in terms of racing, communication, marketing and R&D), in able to be able to enter the AC72 circuit or at least to be in the best of shape in the AC45 circuit.
As Bruno Peyron explains, “We are looking at the idea of competing with a second AC45 next season, in order to build up a squad, which will form the basis of our AC72 crew. We are therefore continuing to do our utmost to be there in San Francisco for the2013 Louis Vuitton Cup. We know what is at stake and the conditions: we have the experience, credibility and the racing talent. Our design team and builders are capable of coming up with a great boat. Finally, a coherent marketing strategy and a suitable commercial product should ensure a good return on investment. Looking at the overall situation, our team is ready and able to do well at every level, so everything is in place to ensure the French are present in the next America’s Cup. I should add that we are committed to the long term and while our goal is to be present in the 34th America’s Cup, it is also to prepare for the next one. That is why we want to remain hard at it and we will be trying to get partners together around our exceptional project”.
