America’s Cup. The French Challenge Orient Express takes place in Barcelona

Out of sight, below the Porta Doroba bridge, an imposing facility made up of containers and tents was erected in the space of a few weeks this summer. Every morning since the beginning of August, French sailors and engineers have arrived on motorbikes or bicycles to exploit this ephemeral place, the base of operations for the French Defiant Crew, in search of the silver teapot that has eluded France since its founding more than 150 years ago. .

“There’s still a bit of work to do before next year, but we have everything we need to get on the water now.”rejoices Stefan Kandler, co-director of the Challenge, which is participating in its second America’s Cup campaign after the 2007 campaign in Valencia.

“A big challenge”

The base covers 5000 square meters. Several converted containers accommodate the living spaces of the French unit: a large kitchen, gym, conference office, balcony and foyer for sailors. Next to it, a large tent covers several workbenches filled with tools and, since August 11, the Blues’ training sailboat, a 12-metre monohull identical to all the teams competing in the Cup.

A little further away, there is a room containing a state-of-the-art simulator that allows sailors, with virtual reality headsets attached to their heads, to race without getting wet. “There was a lot of work done by the whole team. It is indeed a huge and successful challenge to have this base created in less than a month. We are all on a mission to realize the perfect project that we have put on paper.“, explains Captain Quentin Delapierre, 31 years old.

He forms the heart of the sporting project alongside Kevin Pipponette and up-and-comers Mathieu Van Damme and Jason Saunders: athletic and resourceful sailors, having cut their teeth in the SailGP Championship, the high-level international regatta circuit.

Delay but hope

In February, the French challenge was the last to enter the America’s Cup. The Swiss from Alinghi, the Italians from Luna Rossa and the defending champions from New Zealand have been working for two years to shine next October.

But this discrepancy does not worry Bruno Dubois, the team’s co-director. “By purchasing Design package From our future boat to New Zealand, we have saved a significant amount of development time. We start from a base that we know is solid and we will have to improve it.“, explains the 63-year-old leader.

The AC75, a 23-metre monohull sailboat, is scheduled for delivery in May based on the French Challenge, which plans to extend its tent for the occasion. Until then, it will be necessary to increase the number of sailings on training sailboats to compensate for the delay. “In the coming months, we will find out the experimental issues.”But the sailor Frank Camas, who is responsible for the Blues’ performance, confirms. “We are in a positive frame of mind and we must continue in this direction.”he added.

Read also. America’s Cup. “We know we can go all the way to the end”: Franck Cama is optimistic about the French

From Friday to Sunday, the challenge will finally be measurable. The six participating teams will meet in Vilanova, south of Barcelona, ​​for the first preliminary race of the prestigious competition.