K-Challenge Becomes Areva
 

April 5, 2006
 

The French K-Challenge team has found a title sponsor and has been re-born with a new name: 'AREVA Challenge'. Areva is an international power company with over half of its 58,000 employees based in France. The team made the announcement at a press conference this morning in Paris.

AREVA Challenge also stated it would build one new boat, to be launched in November of 2006, which it will race in 2007.

As K-Challenge, the French team has achieved good results for a smaller challenge, racing 2000-generation boats. The highlight came in the match racing series of the Trapani Louis Vuitton Act 8, where the team won seven of 11 matches, including victories over the heavyweight teams of Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand.

Stephane Kandler, General Manager of the team says the new agreement "will enable us to embark on this sporting adventure with a view to achieving one of the best performances in this legendary international competition."

The team moved its operations to the Port America's Cup on Wednesday morning with its freshly re-painted boat arriving under tow in the morning. All 12 teams are now based in the Port America's Cup, with Emirates Team New Zealand, AREVA Challenge and China Team the only yet to sail from Valencia this spring.

America's Cup racing begins this season with the Louis Vuitton Acts 10 and 11 from the 11th to 21st of May.