Navigator Manon Audinet was named skipper of the French challenge on Thursday for the first edition of the Women’s America’s Cup, organized in Barcelona in October 2024, her team Orient Express Racing Team announced.
“It’s just completely crazy. I’m super proud to participate in this project and it’s our chance to show that in these positions we know how to do it as well as men,” reacted Audinet, 31, to AFP. The sailor who participated with Quentin Delapierre, current helmsman of the French men’s challenge, in the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021 in the Nacra 17, will be a wing trimmer on board and captain of the team.
Aloïse Retornaz, bronze medalist in Tokyo in 470 and Amélie Riou, title hope at Paris-2024 in 49er FX, also appear in the crew revealed Thursday in Paris and including seven women selected for this unique competition.
“The year is clearly going to be very busy but that’s what we like. It’s a double challenge to have to manage these objectives at the same time,” said Audinet, who also serves as strategist for the French SailGP team. The twelve challenges entered in the competition, all 100% female, will compete from October 10 to 16, 2024 in Barcelona on AC40s, a one-design and monohull sailboat carrying four female sailors and capable of flying on the water thanks to foils. For this 2024 edition, the New Zealand organizers have also set up for the first time an America’s Cup for young people (mixed crew between 18 and 25 years old) which will take place just before those for women.
The selections for the two French teams were organized at the start of the year by the défi tricolore, the French sailing federation and supervised by several sailors such as the young Charles Dorange and Franck Cammas, responsible for performance. The America’s Cup is scheduled to begin on August 23 in Barcelona. The final confrontation of the men’s challenges between the Defender (title holder, editor’s note) Team New Zealand, and its challenger, decided at the end of the qualifications, will take place between October 12 and 20.
In addition to the French Orient Express, the Swiss Alinghi, the Italian Luna Rossa, Ineos Britannia and American Magic aim to take the silver ewer away from the Kiwis.
The composition of the Women Orient Express – L’Oréal Racing Team
Manon Audinet (skippeuse), Pauline Courtois, Lara Granier, Jessie Kampman, Audrey Ogereau, Aloïse Retornaz, Amélie Riou.
The composition of the Youth Orient Express – L’Oréal Racing Team
Enzo Balanger (skipper), Ange Delerce, Lou Mourniac, Matisse Pacaud, Théo Revil, Gaultier Tallieu.
