on 4 Jan 2023
The 37th America’s Cup has confirmed the late addition of French team K-Challenge Racing, representing the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez yacht club, who has joined as the event’s fifth challenger.
The K-Challenge team last challenged for the America’s Cup for the event’s 32nd edition in Valencia in 2007.
In a statement released on 3 January, the event organisers confirmed the French challenge would be led by Stephan Kandler and Bruno Dubois – experienced cup campaigners and the duo behind the successful France SailGP Team.
America’s Cup Team New Zealand
Their challenge was previously accepted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and they have now chosen to formally announce their entry and confirm they are ready to proceed with their campaign.
“Bruno and I are very excited to join the other challengers,” says Kandler. “We have been working behind the scenes for almost a year now and we are going to announce great things by the end of this month.”
The chief executive of AC37, Grant Dalton, adds: “It is great to have the French now back in the America’s Cup as the fifth Challenger, and one that will no doubt bring a lot of typical character and flair to what is lining up to be a stunning event in Barcelona.
Stephane Kandler and Bruno Dubois, K-Challenge Racing
“France is such a prominent sailing nation, but despite this, it is not a small undertaking to get an America’s Cup team up and running so I congratulate Stephane, Bruno and the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez who have been working away tirelessly to get to this point.”
A full announcement on this and the team’s plans around building an AC75 is expected later this month.
In December, America’s Cup organisers confirmed further details of the event format for the 37th edition in 2024, including the agreed race area and dates.
The racing area for both the Challenger Selection Series and the America’s Cup Match itself has now been agreed with Barcelona’s Capitán Marítimo. Both are set to the south of the city along Barcelona’s beachfront, meaning spectators will be able to line up along the coastline to view the action just a few hundred metres offshore.