Cayard Back in the America’s Cup with Spain

Paul Cayard, of Marin County and the St. Francis YC, announced on Friday that he’s 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 and Sports Advisor, overseeing the preparation and set up of ESP97 during the weeks leading up the Louis Vuitton Cup in April 2007.

Cayard will start to work with the team in the middle of October. This is the seventh time over a span of 24 years that 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. He also finished the 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race in the runner up position skippering the Pirates of the Caribbean.

"I believe that my experience will help in the overall strategy for the team as well as decision making on an operational level," said Cayard. "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."