Friday, October 12, 2007

Bait and switch for Cayard


Paul Cayard has joined Desafío Español as Sports Director for the 33rd America's Cup. During the last edition of the Cup, Cayard was the team's Technical & Sports Advisor overseeing the preparation and set up of ESP97 during the weeks leading up the Louis Vuitton Cup in April 2007.
Cayard 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.
"This is an opportunity to put my experience to work," stated Paul Cayard. "It is also a chance for me to get back into the Cup, having missed 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 added.
"I believe that my experience will help in the overall strategy for the team, as well as in decision making on an operational level. Also, this Cup will have a new design rule so the experience in bringing a new class of boat to its maximum potential will be valuable. Furthermore, it will be imperative that the sailing team and the technical team communicate well and have a good working relationship. I think I can help that process. The Spanish team is a good team, one which aspires to be great," remarked Cayard.
Cayard will start to work with the team in mid- 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 "AmericaOne".