| MATHIEU RICHARD JOINS FRENCH AMERICA'S CUP TEAM FRENCH SPIRIT |
Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team. The Korea Match Cup held in San Hwasung City in the Gyeonggi Province of Korea. 13/6/2008
Image © Christopher Cameron
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Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team at the helm of a KM36 during The Korea Match Cup held in San Hwasung City in the Gyeonggi Province of Korea. 13/6/2008
Image © Christopher Cameron
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Richard 32 has recently been appointed as a team member alongside fellow Frenchmen Philppe Presti, Bertrand Pacé and Marc Pajot. Although the America’s Cup is still in disarray the Team French Spirit are looking forward to a resolution and continue with their plans to build the best sailing and design team for the next multiple challenge regatta.
Richard has been sailing with the same crew members since 2000, and began sailing on the World Match Racing Tour in 2003-’04. After coming 2nd overall on the 2006-'07 season Richard has set a goal of placing 1st in the 2008 season. Richard finds match-racing very interesting because it requires mastery of a varying skill to be at the top: boat handling, boat speed, tactics, starts and communication. He also feels you need to be mentally and physically strong and likes the fact that you can always improve your skills.
In addition to his excellent record in Match Racing Richard he is a three time winner of the “Tour de France à la Voile” (2002–2004–2008), and in 2005 won the Mumm 30 and the ORMA multi-hull World Championship, the later as a crewmember of the trimaran “Banque Populaire.”
Richard commented “For me, Marc Pajot, Philippe Presti and Bertrand Pacé are the French references in terms of America’s Cup, thanks to their mutual experiences gained with prestigious teams like Team New Zealand, BMW Oracle and Prada. I have been competing with my crew for the past 5 years against the international match racing elite and to join an America’s Cup challenger appears to be a logical development of my career. I am eager to help Team French Spirit in building a great French team.”
Richard has been an active match racer on the World Tour for the last three years. Last year he came very close to winning the World Match Racing Tour losing at the final event, the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia. “This shows how the World Tour is the stepping stone and training ground for any skipper or crew wanting to have a shot at the America’s Cup” commented WMRT Director Craig Mitchell “the intense one on one racing in identically supplied yachts around the world pushes these teams to a new level which has been clearly recognized by the successful Cup teams”
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