The French must be in the AC34

It is so important that Loick Peyron and the Energy Team make it to the AC72 races in San Francisco. The Louis Vuitton challenge race needs a French team and needs a fourth team. Plus the French are the master craftsmen of multihulls with VPLP the world leader in multihull design and construction.

The VPLP WSL 70 designed for Coutts and Cayard by VPLP is the forerunner of the new AC72 designs for the America's Cup. For them not to have a chance to build an AC72 to compete in the race would be a terrible loss.

And helmed Loick Peyron, the legend of multihull sailing who has shown some deft match and fleet racing moves in the AC45's. Racing in the AC72 he would be even more at home in the big multihulls he's sailed to many world records.

I'd hope Larry Ellison slips the French a $100M to be in the race with Peyron brothers ad VPLP. Only condition to the $100M, if the French win the Cup they have to hold the next America's Cup in San Francisco in multihulls.

The French must beat the Kiwis and save America's Cup from Dalton and his 'dream' of cheap, slow, boring 20th century monohulls.

I think the Italians would keep the race in multi-hulls but 20th Century Dalton is a menace to the future.

I don't think the America's Cup is an event that catches the French attention and it will be hard to get a corporate sponsor for that reason. On the flip side you'd think Louis Vuitton would organize some French companies to back the Energy team. It benefits Louis Vuiton by promoting the Louis Vuitton sponsorship of the challengers series. Adding a fourth challenge will raise the profile and quality of LV's signature event.