Club Med program

by Club Med Media on 2 Oct 2000 With a stronger more reliable boat and the arrival of Franck Proffit as co-skipper
alongside Grant Dalton, Club Med is starting the final straight, with just one programme
on the agenda, intensive training right up until the start of The Race.

After 6 weeks in the yard, the maxi-catamaran Club Med has gone back to sea.
Redesigned bows, reinforcement of the forward sections for better reliability in case of
shocks, modification of the lower sections considered too directional, new interior
arrangement with notably the elimination of a galley to make way for a "laundry space"
Nothing has been left to chance because the objective of this check-up, planned way
back, was to optimise the necessary configuring of the boat less than 100 days from the
start of The Race.

FRANCK PROFFIT, CO-SKIPPER
On the crew front, there have also been changes. The American Bobby Campbell and
the Australian Mitch Booth have left, and Franck Profitt has arrived to take up the post of
co-skipper alongside Grant Dalton explained chose him, because he is tough and a
team man, he will bring along his helming competence, and his perfect knowledge of
multihulls, therefore completing the crew. Franck accompanied us for a few days, and he
fitted in straight away. There is not the slightest problem aboard this boat, it's probably
because of the mixture of cultures. The crew is in perfect harmony.

He had hardly stepped ashore from his first and happy participation in the Figaro Solo
race, when Franck joined the Club Med team. It's not so easy to arrive on the scene so
late after the boat¹s launching, but the team has grouped together a high level of
complementary competence and above all it is supervised by a great professional,²
admitted Franck. I had the occasion this winter to meet the various skippers and project
leaders of The Race, because I really wanted to take part in this last great race of the
century.

Grant called me in the spring to offer me a place on Club Med as co-skipper. So we met
and sailed together in La Trinité. It was revealing, because I left the crew with the firm
intention of coming back to do The Race. It is a very motivating international adventure
for me, there will be hitches, difficult moments and times of wonder, but I¹m setting out
with confidence. At 36, Franck can boast a fantastic track record including the following
victories:

Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre with Loïck Peyron on Fujicolor in 99
Winner of the Europe Race aboard Fujicolor in 92, 94 and 99
Helmsman of Mari-Cha III, holder of the monohull transatlantic record since 98
Winner of the Quebec ­ St Malo on Fujicolor in 1996
Winner of the Multihull Trophy aboard Fujicolor in 90, 93, 94, 95 and 96
Helmsman on the Finnish maxi Belmont in the 1989/1990 Whitbread

Around Grant Dalton and Franck Proffit: Mike Quilter (NZL) ; Neal Mc Donald (GBR) ; Ed
Danby (GBR/NZL) ; Guillermo Altadill (ESP), Ian Dekker (RSA/FRA) ; Jacques Caraës
(FRA) ; Hervé Jan (FRA), Fred Le Peutrec (FRA) ; Nicolas Pichelin (FRA). An Italian
member of crew will also be joining the team around October 15th

In the shore team we have Paul Quinn (NZL) preparer, Gerald Moosbrugger (AUT)
sailmaker, and Roger Badham (AUS) weather router.