Matt Smith joins Victory Challenge

[Source: Victory Challenge] This will be his fourth America’s Cup. The American Matt Smith, 38, is the latest new recruit to Victory Challenge. After Young America, Stars & Stripes and Oracle BMW Racing he has now, for the first time, chosen a non-American team. “I didn’t have any plans to take part again, but when I got the offer and it suited time-wise I said yes. Victory Challenge has a outstanding team,” the America’s Cup veteran says.

Matt Smith has worked with the legendary Dennis Conner in two America’s Cups. He sailed as grinder when Young America was the defender in San Diego 1995, and as mastman when Stars & Stripes finished third in the challengers’ series, the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2000 in Auckland.

In the last America’s Cup he was pitman for Oracle BMW Racing (now BMW Oracle Racing). Oracle went to the Louis Vuitton Cup Final.

“I’ve been a professional sailor since 1994. The America’s Cup was a shorter commitment for the teams back then. We gathered four-five months before the competition. Nowadays there are two or three years of preparation,” says Matt Smith.

He did not plan to take part in the 32nd America’s Cup, even if he stepped in and sailed with German United Internet Team in Trapani on Sicily, during the pre-regattas there last year.

Recently he has sailed the Transpac 52, with Russell Coutts and Paul Cayard on Lexus/Atalanti in the Medcup. Previously he has sailed with teams such as Rosebud (TP 52), Mani Frers Boomerang (Maxi), Flash Gordon (Farr 49) in a number of in- and offshore regattas, such as the Fastnet, Transpac and Admiral’s Cup.

“Matt Smith’s solid experience of the America’s Cup is very valuable for us,” says Magnus Holmberg, skipper and helmsman for Victory Challenge.

He is the ninth of the 16 sailors with previous America’s Cup experience that have been recruited for the ongoing two-boat training. Victory Challenge is a Swedish team, but on board there are sailors from a total of eleven nations: Sweden (ten sailors), Great Britain (six), Australia (five), New Zealand (five), Denmark (three), the USA (three), Spain (two), as well as one sailor from each of Argentina, France, Finland and Germany.