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The project is an ambitious one. Crosscall, the French specialist in ultra-resistant, waterproof smartphones and tablets, and Aurélien Ducroz, two-time world freeride ski champion and sailor, are building a Class40 prototype that will take the start of the Route du Rhum in 2022. To achieve this, they are bringing on board a number of partners under the banner of the "Crosscall Sailing Team" collective. Never before seen!
Quick reminder. On November 15, 2019, Haut-Savoyard Aurélien Ducroz and his co-skipper Louis Duc completed the Transat Jacques Vabre in 5th place in the Class40 in 18 days 15h 25′ and 23 " on their boat "Crosscall Chamonix-Mont-Blanc". A fine result for this unrivalled sportsman, equally at ease on the water and in the snow. After all, Aurélien Ducroz is a former world freeride ski champion. For Crosscall, it was a trial run," explains Cyril Vidal, president and founder of the French brand. Pure sponsorship visibility and a real-life test. Aurélien proved he had enormous potential on the water. We could then envisage a more ambitious joint project.
February 2020. The French brand announces, unofficially, in a small gathering in Paris, that it is extending its partnership with Aurélien. "For 3 years," confides Benjamin Schweizer, Promotion Manager at Crosscall. "At the time, we already had in mind the possibility of becoming title partner of a boat..." Pause. The health crisis struck without warning. "The project was not called into question, however. It's a long-term project. And at Crosscall, we have a 3 to 5 year vision," emphasizes Cyril Vidal. Rather than opting to buy a Class40, Crosscall and Aurélien Ducroz are working together on a high-performance boat designed specifically for the sailor's needs. "The delta between an ultra-high-performance boat bought second-hand and one designed from scratch isn't that big," says the skipper. So the choice is made: Crosscall and Aurélien Ducroz will build their own boat.
ALL UNITED AROUND A COMMON PROJECT: TO WIN!
Starting with a naming scheme, the boat will logically be christened " Crosscall ". But the brand won't be setting sail alone... In September 2020, new partners will be joining Crosscall and Aurélien Ducroz in the "Crosscall Sailing Team" adventure. All the champion skier's historic partners will be on board: Greenweez, Michel Herbelin, Mila and Helly Hansen. This pooling and sharing of costs makes sense at a time when brands are finding it increasingly difficult to commit to a major sponsorship operation...
Building a boat with the objective of a single-handed ocean race is a big step towards my Vendée Globe dream," says Aurélien Ducroz with satisfaction. There's a real desire to work hand in hand, to tell a common story. The Sea/Mountain association has proved that it works and that it makes people dream. As well as being a vehicle for values, it's a great storytelling entry point for the partner brands. I'm delighted to be building this story with my historic mountain partners.
"Building a boat is a major project. It requires several months of support. Sometimes even years. It's important to choose trustworthy partners with whom you've forged strong ties over the course of your career."
Crosscall is title partner. Greenweez, the French and European leader in online sales of organic and ecological products, is an Official Partner. Watchmaker Michel Herbelin, which has accompanied Aurélien Ducroz since 2019, will be the Official Timer of this new-style team. Mila, a new player in modular construction, is a partner. As for equipment manufacturer Helly Hansen, which has worked with Aurélien Ducroz for over 10 years, it is donning the Official Supplier garment. A good omen, given thatHelly Hansen is equally at home on snow and water!
For Crosscall, this collective support makes sense. This partnership is unique, exclusive and innovative," says Cyril Vidal. Each brand commits to its own means. With the common goal of 'success'. At Crosscall, we are 200% committed to this project. Firstly, because sport is an integral part of the Brand's DNA. And secondly, as a manufacturer, we're showcasing our made-in-France expertise by actively participating in the construction of our boat."
CROSSCALL TECHNOLOGY AT THE HEART OF DESIGN
Crosscall says that the choice of materials for the boat is designed to be "sustainable". "Just as our phones and tablets are designed with sustainability in mind, the boat will be built according to the same philosophy. Combining performance and durability. Now more than ever, it's important to be responsible. While the primary objective is to build the best-performing boat to win the Route du Rhum, the second is deliberately to bring as much common sense as possible to this construction by choosing French builders and thus favoring a short circuit. "The boat's non-structural parts such as the helm, door, cap, etc. will be made from biocomposites with the use of flax and biosourced resins."
Crosscall is also looking to broaden its audience to include sailing professionals and yachtsmen. "We want to show them that our products are perfectly suited to their needs," emphasizes Cyril Vidal.
Crosscall and Aurélien Ducroz have also decided to put the Brand's technology at the heart of the design of the future Crosscall Class40. The French manufacturer's smartphones, as well as its CORE-T4 tablet, will be integrated as navigation aids aboard the boat. The skipper will also use smartphones to film and share his adventures and create immersive content blending sport and thrills, as he was able to do during the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2019. "Ultra-resistant and waterproof, Crosscall smartphones and tablets will thus demonstrate their performance in the most hostile environments and their reliability in the face of the unexpected, which are numerous when you tackle, like Aurélien, ocean racing."
Article by Alain Jouve for Sport Stratégies.
