Greenpeace attack French challenger

The crew of Defi Areva remonstrate with activists

Greenpeace activists attacked the French challenger for the 2003 America's Cup in the port of Lorient on Saturday.

A motor-powered dinghy from the environmental group rammed the side of the newly-christened 25-metre yacht belonging to the Defi Areva team.

The collision dented the carbon hull and caused "serious damage," the French challenge syndicate said in a statement.

"It's an act of terrorism," Defi Areva's sports director Pierre Mas told LCI television, which filmed the dinghy approaching the yacht in the northwestern French port.

LCI reported that police detained 11 people in connection with the incident.

Defi Areva is sponsored by Areva, a French industrial holding company specializing in nuclear plant building and nuclear fuels.

Activists from the group have demonstrated regularly outside the French challenger's base. Greenpeace has long been an opponent of French nuclear testing in the South Pacific.

In 1985 its flagship Rainbow Warrior was blown up and sunk in Auckland Harbour by French government agents.

Defi Areva is expected to take part in the Louis Vuitton Cup, the challengers' series for the America's Cup, starting in Auckland on 1 October.

The winner takes on Team New Zealand for the America's Cup in February 2003.