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Stylish French bid for the AC

The French syndicate was popular during the last America's Cup

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- France has launched a loud and conspicuous bid for sailing's most prestigious trophy with eye-catching boats and a controversial sponsor.

Although its America's Cup team says it is not in the event just to be seen, it certainly will be with their Day-Glo lime craft.

On top of that, Areva made waves with environmental groups earlier this year over its principal backer -- an international nuclear-energy supplier.

The syndicate's choice of sponsors is of an even more contentious nature than those banned or restricted by New Zealand, such as tobacco and alcohol.

New Zealand led the protests against French nuclear testing -- now abandoned -- at Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific.

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And it was in Auckland Harbour, not far from where the French team is now located, that the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior was sunk in a bombing in 1985, killing one man.

Two French secret agents were found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for their parts in the attack.

France also made waves at the last Cup regatta in Auckland two years ago when it set up a base like no other on Syndicate Row -- a piece of avant garde architecture which was like no other seen in Auckland then or since.

And their boat, distinctly narrower than any other and that time painted in vivid orange, was a talking point.

The boat was then called Sixieme Sens, or "Sixth Sense," at a time when a Hollywood movie of the same name was making box office waves and wowing audiences with its surprise ending.

There was also a surprise ending for the French team.

At the start of the challenger series the boat was nicknamed L'Escargot -- the snail.

But Sixieme Sens became faster and faster as the regatta went on and the French claimed the last place in the six-boat challenger semi-finals.

The Areva team, though well experienced in Olympic competition, has little America's Cup experience.

Skipper Luc Pillot, a double Olympic medalist, told The Associate Press he expects the team to improve as the regatta progresses.

Pillot said: "I think at the minute we are not among the top two teams.

"But after the top two we are not far away and I think we can definitely be in the top four and make the semifinals.

"After that anything can happen."