The partnership between Groupama and Franck Cammas began on 12th November 1997. Planned to last 4 years, it will continue for 20 years without interruption. A collaboration which has enabled the mutual insurer to enter the world of professional sailing, alongside a young man of 25 years of age, certainly promising but still little known to the general public. A sponsorship punctuated by victories and challenges with the construction of incredible boats, from Groupama 1 to the AC 50 of the French challenge of the 35th America's Cup. However, this partnership is now over.
Groupama 1, the start of success
It's through a second place in the Grand Prix de la Trinité-sur-mer in August 1998, on the trimaran Groupama 1 and just 10 months after the start of the partnership that Franck Cammas will be making his mark for the first time. A repeated operation can afterwards with a 3 th place in the Route du Rhum.
In 1999, the skipper took part in 6 races at the helm of his multihull and climbed on the podium five times, including a remarkable second place in the Transat Jacques Vabre with Steve Ravussin.
In 2001, the trimaran spent eleven thousand hours in the yard to be even more efficient. A successful job, which is illustrated by a new ORMA title and a memorable victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre.
In 2002, the sailor from Aix-en-Provence experienced a real event with retirements in the various races he took part in aboard Groupama 1. Indeed we'll remember his first night in the Route du Rhum when his boat capsized after being hit by a competitor. Stubbornly, however, Franck Cammas initially refused to be evacuated by the rescue helicopter, remaining firmly clinging to the central hull of his boat..
Four months later, the yachtsman is back on the move again with five first places gleaned from the six races sailed, in particular this new league title in the Transat Jacques Vabre with his team-mate Franck Proffit.
Groupama 2, "the best 60 foot multihull ever built in the world"..
After the first six years enabling them to gather a maximum amount of experience, it's time for Groupama and Franck Cammas to concentrate on a more efficient boat. As such Groupama 2 was born, a hyper fast and efficient trimaran which Franck Cammas still describes today as "the best 60-foot multihull ever built in the world."
Between August 2004 and mid-2006, the skipper and his boat will continue to make progress to continue to win and score several successes.
Groupama 3, the Jules Verne Trophy trimaran
In July 2006 Groupama 3 was christened Groupama 3, aboard which Franck Cammas will attempt to set a new round the world record in the Jules Verne Trophy. This extraordinary boat, 31.50 metres long and only led by a crew of 10 sailors, is both robust and manoeuvrable but not easily tamed.
In 2007, for the first round the world record attempt, a float on Groupama 3 broke in New Zealand, causing the boat to capsize. Franck Cammas explains: "I remember that I was still on the overturned boat when I informed Groupama on the telephone of our misadventure. Immediately I was given the order to bring the boat back in order to repair her and set off again as quickly as possible to try to beat the round the world record again. This instinctive decision on the part of my sponsor showed all his commitment to the competition and all the confidence he had in me"
In 2010, the skipper and his crew will beat the round the world record in 48 days. Three months later, he will also win the solo Route du Rhum.
The Volvo Ocean Race and victory
For his first participation in the Volvo Ocean Race in 2011-2012, at the helm of Groupama 4, Franck Cammas has once again distinguished himself with a fine victory on his monohull designed back in 2010... At the same time the sailor is still at sea conquering the Jules Verne Trophy...
"The Volvo, historically the preserve of Anglo-Saxon crews, is thus probably the greatest success ever achieved by Groupama and her skipper...". The most beautiful because it's the most unpredictable but also because it's the most gruelling (19 rounds and 8 months and 10 days of racing in total). It was also the most resounding, as a result of which Franck Cammas' fame and Groupama's notoriety has been raised to the highest level in the four corners of the planet" says the statement.
The America's Cup, the supreme challenge
A few months after this great victory, the skipper has only one idea in mind: to put together a high-performance tricolour team to set off in search of the oldest sporting trophy in the world, alongside great international nations. Groupama throws herself into the water with her skipper, accompanied by Michel Desjoyeaux and Olivier de Kersauson and gives birth to Groupama Team France on 25th June 2015.
This ultimate challenge in the 35th America's Cup will mark the high point in the history of Franck Cammas and Groupama. It's an incredible adventure, bringing in its wake hundreds of people and dozens of companies to build the fabulous flying boat aboard which the French team fought in Bermuda, without managing to win.
The end of the adventure
"For Groupama, this adventure will inevitably have been experienced with a very special emotion. Indeed nothing can equal the great honour of defending the colours of her country under her name. The end of the 35th America's Cup was in short a culmination for Groupama in competitive sailing. With the satisfaction of duty accomplished and after having written this fabulous book, written in indelible ink and retracing an extraordinary epic marked by twenty years of Groupama's faithful accompaniment of an admirable man and such an endearing sport" says the insurer in its press release.
