Suzuki Marine and Team France, a renewed partnership
It was in December 2016, six months before the start of the 35 e America's Cup, that Suzuki Marine was involved with the French challenge Groupama Team France. The engine manufacturer supplied the Suzuki outboard engines powering the French team's support boats. An operation that delighted Christophe Vassas, Director of Suzuki Marine France.
"We were present on the 35 e America's Cup with visibility on the sailors' helmets. But also with our engines to sail fast boats. So it was natural to continue this momentum explains Christophe Vassas.
And so it is quite naturally that Suzuki will be present again over three years, by supporting Team France Jeune, but also by participating, to a lesser extent, in the financing of the team's participation in the GC32 Racing Tour. This news was officially announced on the Suzuki stand at the Paris Boat Show on December 2.
"During our trip to Bermuda, we discovered ambitious people with their feet on the ground. These are values that Suzuki shares, and which are deeply rooted in this approach. We followed Groupama Team France to the end and we liked the transmission of knowledge with Team Jeune. So we initially signed up with Team Jeune and when we knew the boats were going to fly, we decided to continue with Team France." says Christophe Vassas.
"We have a lot of ideas, it allows us to challenge ourselves constantly in terms of development. Personally, I think that even motorboats will fly one day continues Christophe Vassas.
From the GC32 Racing Tour to the America's Cup
It is thanks to Norauto, another sponsor of Team France, that Franck Cammas and his team of sailors are taking part in a demanding circuit, the GC32 Racing Tour. A way to continue training for the next America's Cup, which will take place in 2021, as the skipper explained at the Paris show.
"We have arrived on the GC32 circuit thanks to Norauto, a partner who arrived on Groupama Team France and who appreciated its commitment and will be present again in the 36th edition e America's Cup. At the beginning, we didn't have the shape of the America's Cup, but now we know what to expect. It will be held in the first months of 2021, on flying monohulls. Norauto, for next year, allows us to sail internationally on flying catamarans, which are more interesting to prepare the America's Cup. It will be played out on flying monohulls, but these are still flying boats."
Be able to follow the America's Cup boats
In 2017, to follow the AC Class, 4 tracking boats were powered by 300 hp Suzuki Marine outboard engines capable of reaching 50 knots, as explained by the French director of the Japanese group's Marine Activity "You need at least 2x300 hp to keep up with the AC50s. We have to push the boat, but also the crew and the equipment. For the AC75, the speed will be higher, so we will have to adapt our engines. Our new generations of 350 HP can follow these AC75 ."
