Yachting: Cayard keen to pass on old tips

By JULIE ASH

Paul Cayard has already conquered the Mt Everest of ocean racing, but has returned to help New Zealand skipper Grant Dalton try to win one of the toughest treks on the climb.

Cayard has joined Dalton's Amer Sports One as tactician for the 6700-nautical-mile journey to Rio de Janeiro which starts on Sunday.

The fleet head back into the dreaded Southern Ocean before heading around Cape Horn to Rio.

Cayard replaces Dee Smith, who is recovering from a shoulder operation.

Cayard is a six-time world champion and a five-time America's Cup veteran. He won the 1997-98 round-the-world race on EF Language, beating Dalton's Merit Cup. EF Language also won the fourth leg.

"What I learned from last time is there is some awesome sailing to be done outside the America's Cup and Olympic-class sailing," Cayard said yesterday.

"In some ways maybe the last race was the best experience the sport has given me.

"The Whitbred was the first time I had ever gone anywhere on a sailboat and I have been sailing since I was eight."

He said the opportunity to race alongside Dalton was too good to miss. "Grant is the king of round-the-world racing so it will be interesting to watch him and see how he runs the boat."

Cayard has been involved in the Nautor Challenge syndicate - the parent body for the Amer Sports One and Too boats - from its inception.

He is also a board member of boat-designing company Nautor Swan and honorary chairman of Nautor Challenge

He decided to join Amer Sports One only 10 days ago.

"It is going to be hard and cold and all that, but when you do as well as we did last time it is very satisfying.

"It is an extreme event, where you are really testing yourself against Mother Nature. The satisfaction comes when you race well ... and do better than the others."

Cayard's involvement in the Volvo Ocean Race comes after months of speculation surrounding his role with America's Cup syndicate Oracle Racing, owned by software executive Larry Ellison.

Originally a member of the management and sailing team, Cayard has seen his role cut to being a member of the advisory board.

"I am still working for Oracle Racing. I was running the sailing team all the way until October. Then Larry wanted me off the sailing team."

He had not been told why. "My position is not clear, but it is not up to me, it is up to one man."

One position is clear, for the smaller boats anyway. Cayard plans to compete in the Star at the next Olympics.

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