A training internship of the Groupama sailing team, competing for the 2017 America’s Cup, was organized in Chamonix from 15 to 20 January.
In Vallorcine Mont-Blanc, the Groupama Team France followed a six-day training program for the 35th America's Cup. An intensive training session: snowshoeing trips, seal skin, driving sled dogs, a night walk as well as the ascent of the Aiguille du Midi.
The Groupama team is one of the best French sailing teams, led by the sailor and skipper, Franck Cammas who decided to develop the French excellence in the America's Cup. The Groupama Team France won the Volvo Ocean Race in 2012 and also the Tour de France in 2015.
The nine "sailors" have been taken in hand by their physical trainer Neil MacLean-Martin in Vallorcine, and they have been accommodated at the Residence & Spa Vallorcine Mont-Blanc, a 5 star Apart'hotel offered by the Groupama partners.
The training program included a wide range of outdoor and indoor activities. The athletes also performed indoor sports and recuperation sessions within the Vallorcine hotel structure.
After their training, every evening, Franck, Thierry, Adam, Thomas, Olivier, Arnaud, Devan, Mathieu and Nicolas got together at the stoves of the kitchen at the Résidence et Spa Vallorcine Mont-Blanc so as to cook up supper for them all.
Franck Cammas, founding member of Team Groupama France “It really was an extraordinary week, all together in a harsh environment! The cold didn’t spare us. The activities weren’t necessarily simple for us all as we didn’t have the same level or the same build. Bonds have been created, there’s superb solidarity and genuine mutual support instinctively kicked in. These moments are key in a preparation such as ours. We didn’t risk going skiing, instead favouring endurance with a lot of walking, a night in a mountain hut, a summit and even a night walk. It was all new to a lot of the team and I think everyone enjoyed it.”
In organising this intensive training session, Niel and Franck were keen to get in some physical training, as well as come together around some different and unfamiliar activities so as to strengthen the team spirit. It would seem that it’s job done today as the group have come away from this time spent sharing and exchanging ideas feeling even stronger than before.
Find on the Groupama website the photos of the training internship in Chamonix.
Video of the meeting with Groupama team realized by David Autheman of TVMountain
Franck Cammas and his team visiting Vallorcine for a week of physical preparation
The America's Cup is to take place on 26 May 2017 in Bermuda.
