Louis Vuitton Cup: 25 Years of Yacht Racing in Pursuit of the America's Cup »

François Chevalier is a yacht designer, Professor of Naval Architecture at the University of Nantes, a marine author, and a marine artist. He lives in Paris. His books include J Class and America’s Cup Yacht Designs, written with Jacques Taglang.

From 1983 to 2008, the Louis Vuitton Cup determined who would qualify to compete for the America’s Cup, the world’s most prestigious yachting regatta. The involvement of the world-famous luxury goods company in the race transformed the match from a friendly competition into a modern media event, and helped raise the international profile of the esteemed prize.

The Louis Vuitton Cup tells the story of the America’s Cup, which parallels Louis Vuitton’s expansion from a company that creates travel trunks to its presence as an internationally acclaimed luxury brand. The book traces the trajectory of the Cup, recounting stories of the individual races and victories, from the first in Newport, Rhode Island to the last in Valencia, Spain. It presents profiles of its greatest winners and pays tribute to the world’s most talented yachtsmen and the photographers who, passionate about the sea, helped forge the regatta’s reputation.