Stéphane Kandler, the Syndicate Head of the French team forthrightly analysed the situation of the new campaign.

"We were back to square one", he told Axel Capron, journalist covering the America's Cup for the website Sports.fr. "If nothing happens by November's end, if there is nothing concrete and if satisfactory discussions are not in progress, then we will stop".

The situation is therefore serious. But Kandler keeps faith for 2009, assuring that everything is still possible for the teams which intend take part in the 33rd America's Cup.

"The AC90 Class Rule was published on October 31st. The registered teams may have a month or month and a half lead time", he said. "There is still enough time but we cannot linger on".

After the French stateowned Areva group broke up with Kandler's team (due to "strategic divergence"), and like every America's Cup since 1992, the question arises as to know if France is capable of fielding a force strong enough to do battle with the "Top Guns" teams.

"Either we complain about our lot in life, or we show that France is a leading sailing nation. If such is the case, then let's go for the America's Cup", Kandler said. "We have got the skills and personnel, we have got the designers and the sailors. So, we only have to give them the necessary means and those means are existing".

Nevertheless, if such skills actually exist in France, one of the main issue is the better French designers and sailors have acquired "bad habits" from the richest teams. So, they refuse to come just to play a bit part.

"Bertrand Pacé, by example, want to come but not under any conditions", Kandler stated. "An architect like Guillaume Verdier have amazing technical skill. I would like to give him the means to do something".

Besides the human aspects, the French syndicate show a wise modesty in its financial goals, very far from BMW Oracle Racing, the most powerful team. Nevertheless, Kandler have great ambitions.

"We are looking for a main sponsor who will contribute €16 million over two year, €8 million per year, the cost for a medium cyclist team", concluded Stéphane Kandler. "Then, it's possible to fund the extra €14 million from partners and suppliers. We can be competitive with a €30 million budget if the money keep coming in fast enough".