Friday, October 12, 2007

Paul Cayard new Sports Director of Desafío Español

[Source: Desafío Español] Paul Cayard has joined Desafío Español as Sports Director for the 33rd America's Cup. During the last edition of the event, Cayard was the team's Technical and Sports Adviser overseeing the preparation and set up of ESP-97 during the weeks leading up the Louis Vuitton Cup in April 2007.

Cayard (San Francisco, USA 1959) has 24 years of experience in the America's Cup and will contribute his expertise to the team, in his new position as Sports Director.

Cayard will start to work with the team in the middle of October. This is the seventh time Cayard will be involved in sailing's premier event since his debut as a sail trimmer on board US-33 in 1983. In 1992, Cayard won the Louis Vuitton Cup skippering "Il Moro di Venezia" and in 2000 advanced to the finals of the Challenger Selection Series as Skipper of "America One". He also finished the 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race in the runner up position skippering the "Pirates of the Caribbean".


Paul Cayard holds seven World Championship titles in different classes, has participated in two Olympic Games and, in 1998, was the first American to win the Whitbread Round the World Race skippering Ef Language. "This is an opportunity to put my experience to work", he says. "It is also a chance for me to get back into the Cup game after missing the competition in 2003 and 2007. It will be enjoyable to race for the home team and to try to improve on the fantastic result of 2007", he adds.

The American sailor starts his relationship with the team at an early stage of the campaign. "I believe that my experience will help in the overall strategy for the team as well as decision making on an operational level. Also, this Cup will have a new design rule so the experience in getting a new class of boat to its maximum potential will be valuable. Further it will be imperative that the sailing team and the technical team have good communication and a good working relationship. I think I can help that process. The Spanish team is a good team that aspires to be great", remarked Cayard.

Labels: ,

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home