First sailing of the AC40 in Lorient, a first in France!

Although the K-Challenge teams have continued to sail since the end of the 37thAmerica's Cup, whether on the SailGP circuit or as part of the Academy aboard the ETF26 and MOTH, the AC40 foiling monohull used by young people and women in the Youth and Women's America's Cup has not sailed!
So this week marks a big first, as for the first time in France, such a boat will be seen in action, and it's happening in Lorient!

The city of six ports, which already hosts numerous offshore racing teams from Mini to Ultim, has been the French team's training base since the end of 2024, turning its attention to international crewed racing. This diversity in maritime competition makes the Lorient region unique in the world, with the added bonus of a dynamic and developed economic sector.

The technical team, led by Antoine Ruccard, worked for several days to get the AC40 40 back up and running for its first technical outing on Wednesday, September 24.

After being towed out of the harbor, it was time to set sail past the citadel for a few hours of navigation.

Quentin Delapierre (skipper), Enzo Balanger (skipper), Kevin Peponnet (trimmer), and Jason Saunders (trimmer), the sailors on board, did not hide their satisfaction upon returning from this maiden voyage.

“It was really great to get back on this boat! And above all, seeing it sail in Lorient, showing it off, and sharing our world with others was really fantastic!” said an enthusiastic Quentin Delapierre, AC40 pilot.

This was the first in a series of training sessions planned for the coming months...