Today, 14 November, CHN95 was presented to the press and China Team’s sponsors in Dong Guan: among those present were Franck PONG (Honorary President of the China Team) WANG Chaoyong (President of the China Team), Luc GELLUSSEAU (Chief operations manager), Xavier de Lesquen (executive director) and Pierre MAS(skipper).

CHN95 is the first Class America ever to be built on Chinese soil. It was planned and designed by the China Design Team, which includes Daniel Andrieu, Hervé Devaux and Philippe Pallu de la Barrière and was constructed in Dong Guan under McConaghy International.

McConaghy International is a joint-venture between the Australian builders McConaghy and the Chinese company Jin Li which specialises in the production of carbon parts. The two companies joined forces in China to create the first construction site of boats made from composite carbon. CHN95 is the first boat to come out of their factory in Dong Guan.

It will be transported by sea and is due to arrive in Valencia mid-December where it will be painted and prepared for sailing in early February. CHN95 will represent China in the 32nd America’s Cup beginning April 2007 in Valencia, Spain.

“For the first time in the history of sport and sailing, a racing boat built in China will represent our country in the biggest and most prestigious of sailing competitions. I extend my best wishes and very good luck to the team for the 32nd America’s Cup,” said Franck PONG, honorary President of the China Team.

For WANG Chaoyong, President of the China Team, “the construction of CHN95 is nothing less than a new and historic event in the development of Chinese sailing. It isn’t only the first Class America, “made in China,’ it is also the result of a perfect combination of courage, passion, technology, innovaton and team spirit. CHN95 will, without any doubt, contribute to the future successes of China Team!”

As far as Luc GELLUSSEAU is concerned, “the work carried out by the shipyard was of the highest quality. Construction will continue in Valencia after the boat has left China. The hull is the central piece, but there is still a lot of work to carry out before CHN95 can take to the water. Once it arrives mid-December, she will be painted in the China Team colours before joining the base where the technical team is impatient to see her. Then the technicians will install the hydraulic and electronic circuits, the rigging, supervise the outfitting of the superstructures, the keel, the mast, etc so that CHN95 can make its first tacks beginning of February. For the moment it’s like a jigsaw of 3000 pieces!”