Press contact AREVA Challenge ST ĒPHANIE NADIN Media & Communication Manager Mobile : +33 (0)6 11 50 65 21 Spanish mobile : +34 678 687 383 [email protected] CĒLINE TROUV Ē Communications Officer Spanish mobile : +34 600 457 917 [email protected] Official Photographer : Franck Socha Vidéo Images : AIMV CONTENTS AREVA CHALLENGE’S CONCEPT Page 3 TESTIMONIALS Page 4 AREVA CHALLENGE EN BREF… Page 5 THE AMERICA’S CUP : 154 YEARS OF HISTORY ! Page 6 THE SCHEDULE Page 7 THE AREVA CHALLENGE BOATS AND THE TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND Page 8 THE TEAM Page 9 THE AREVA CHALLENGE’S BASE IN VALENCE (SPAIN) Page 19 AREVA CHALLENGE’S SPONSORS AND PARTNERS Page 20 THE AREVA CHALLENGE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME Page 25 www.areva-challenge.com 2 AREVA CHALLENGE’S COCONCEPTNCEPT AREVA Challenge is carrying the colors for the French Team during the 32nd America’s Cup to be held in Valencia, Spain in 2006 and 2007. The team came into being in 2002 when entrepreneurs Ortwin and Stephane Kandler met Dawn Riley, a member of the team that won the 1992 America's Cup. The Kandler have first-hand knowledge of French and foreign challengers through their company, K- Yachting, and have analyzed attempts to win the Cup since the early 90s. This helped them identify key success factors and earned them recognition for expertise in putting together the human and technical resources needed to compete in this world-class race. Baptized AREVA Challenge in April 2006, the syndicate has formed a team of well-known players who have proven their worth in the America’s Cup, in the business world, and in project management. All of the participants are united in this adventure by a sense of team spirit, pragmatism and discipline. THEY HAVE SAID ABOUT AREVA CHALLENGE… (ex(ex----KKKK----Challenge)Challenge) ERNESTO BERTARELLI, President of Alinghi: “K-Challenge really showed above average capabilities. I would qualify the performance of K-Challenge in 2005, with all the difficulties they had, above the fleet. They belong to the top group. With a larger budget, they will be able to compete with some of the more established teams like Luna Rossa, Emirates Team New Zealand, and BMW Oracle Racing. I do not exclude K-Challenge from the top if they can find the necessary budget. They really showed what they can do.” CHRIS DICKSON, CEO BMW Oracle Racing : "We did some training with K-Challenge before the regatta started. They have a very good boat in light winds. They showed that they could sail very well. Next year, when they have their new boat, we will expect to see a clear progression of their performance. There is a long way to go and even though they have one of the oldest boats in the fleet, they have been sailing very well." www.areva-challenge.com 3 TESTIMONIALS ORTWIN KANDLER, Strategic Adviser of AREVA Challenge “I’m very proud and honored that the young people have finally taken up the torch by jumping into this very impressive challenge, which has no equivalent: a story on water, on land and in the air. This adventure will be undertaken with all of their nerve and technological awareness, as we did with Airbus in the 1960s, showing the world that the greatest civil aeronautical challenge was within our reach, thanks to our perseverance, faith and conviction though we met skepticism all around us. The team spirit and its know-how overcame everything and today we know the results: we are the winner!” STEPHANE KANDLER, CEO of AREVA Challenge “The America’s Cup is a mythical trophy: it’s the oldest sport’s trophy in the world, but also the one that the sailing world dreams of. Moreover, this event is beyond the sailing world: in the America’s Cup, technology, team spirit, passion and a glamour touch motivate a public that becomes larger each time. After several successful experiences in the top sailing events with K-Yachting, we are now ready to lead this challenge to victory and secure its place in France!” DAWN RILEY, General Manager of AREVA Challenge and Pit Assist “The America’s Cup is the most complex, technically advanced and interesting event in the sport of sailing. It requires complete teamwork, dedication, and focus. All of this combines to create the mystique and public interest. This makes the Cup a great opportunity for sponsors not only for the media impressions but also for internal team building and messaging. The Areva Challenge team will be a unique team crossing over national borders and gender lines using the variety of backgrounds and talents to create a winning team.” JACQUES-EMMANUEL SAULNIER, Senior Vice President, Communications and Spokesman of the Areva group “The America's Cup is one of the world's major sporting events and presents an exceptional opportunity for a group such as ours. We are very happy to be involved in the world of sailing once again.” www.areva-challenge.com 4 AREVA CHALLENGE EN BBREF…REF… • AREVA Challenge is the French Challenger for the 32nd America’s Cup, which will take place in Valencia, Spain in 2007. • This team was born in 2002, before the 31st edition had even started, between two business men Ortwin Kandler and Stephane Kandler, and an experienced America’s Cup sailor: Dawn Riley. • Our motto : “to start early, to go far ” • AREVA Challenge relies on K-Yachting’s 15 years experience in sailing competitions. K-Yachting has supported and sailed with many French America’s Cup sailors for 10 years (Thierry Peponnet, Bertrand Pace, Lionel Pean, Bertrand de Broc, etc). USEFUL FACTS • Country : France (FRA) • Syndicate Established : 2002 • Boats : FRA 60, FRA 57, and FRA 93 (official boat built for the 32 nd America’s Cup) • Syndicate Head : Stephane Kandler • General Manager : Dawn Riley • Design Team : Bernard Nivelt (Principal Designer) / Dimitri Nicolopoulos (Design Team Coordinator) / AREVA Challenge Design Team • Training base : Gandia, Spain • Yacht Club : AREVA Challenge represents the " Cercle de la Voile de Paris " • Created in 1858, the Cercle de la Voile de Paris , founder of the One Ton Cup and organizer of the sailing competitions of the Olympics in 1924, is AREVA Challenge's official Yacht Club for the 32nd America's Cup. (www.regates-cvp.fr.st) www.areva-challenge.com 5 THE AMERICA’S CUP: 154 YEARS OF HISTORY! The first America's Cup took place in 1851, between British and American fleets. The American team won, and Queen Victoria was very disappointed as she first thought the English took second place. But, she was answered that there was no second place, and only a winner. The famous "100 Guinea Cup" would never come back to its country of origin, so it was christened as "America's Cup" in reference to the victory of the yacht "America". Until the 60's, the America's Cup was mainly a British-American fight where the most famous people of the world challenged each other. Sir Thomas Lipton, tried to win the "Cup" 5 times in 31 years, but never did! Then the time of Australian challengers came. It took them 20 years to succeed in being the first non-Americans to win the trophy, which they did in 1983, in front of 500 million TV viewers. More than a sport’s trophy, the America's Cup is a myth. The “Cup” has created so much passion, investment, obstinacy and human fight in order to feel the glory of winning the "Grail". Engraving one’s name on the trophy offers the winner recognition and absolute respect, giving him the opportunity to be part of the legend. We must add the national support that participating in this event creates, as solidarity and national pride can show, like when the New Zealanders with Peter Blake kept the Americans of team "Young America" from winning in 1995. The Swiss team Alinghi won the America’s Cup in 2003, but the symbol of this achievement is even stronger, as it is the first time the trophy came back to Europe, its continent of origin, but also the first time in the America's Cup history that 5 continents will be represented. December 4, Official launch of K-Challenge in Paris. 2001 June 2002 Christening of the training boats and the first match racing training. October 2002 K-Challenge team wins the One Ton Cup. February 2003 K-Challenge’s presentation to the international media and the America’s Cup community in Auckland, New Zealand. September 2003 First sailing session on an IACC boat in San Francisco - training with Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing teams. September 3, K-Challenge becomes the first French Challenger for the 32nd America’s Cup. 2004 The Yacht Club is Le Cercle de La Voile de Paris. The team’s boat FRA 57 is christened by K-Challenge’s godfather, the famous French actor Christian Clavier. Sept. – Oct. 2004 K-Challenge takes part in the Marseille Louis Vuitton Act 1 and Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts 2 & 3 in Valencia. www.areva-challenge.com 6 THE SCHEDULE 2004 April K-Challenge acquires NZL 60 and NZL 57, Team New Zealand's previous boats (NZL 60 was the winner of the America's Cup in 2000), for training, research and pre-regattas. May Design Team begins research & development. August Sailing team trains with FRA 57 in Marseille. Sept.-Oct. K-Challenge becomes the first Official French Challenger, and sails in the first 3 Acts of the 32nd America's Cup in Marseille and Valencia with FRA 57. End of October K-Challenge settles down in Gandia (Spain), K-Challenge’s training base.