Yachting: Dalton will call it quits after dash to Germany

By JULIE ASH

A 250-nautical-mile dash from Gothenburg to Kiel is all that stands between Aucklander Grant Dalton and the end of his 21-year round-the-world race career.

After seven circumnavigations, the 44-year-old is calling it a day at the end of the Volvo ocean race, which is expected to finish in Germany on Monday.

"I have decided I will not compete [in the Volvo race] again," he said.

"Hopefully, I will be back as part of a shore team to guide them through the pitfalls that I have fallen into over the last 20 years. But certainly, in regard to sailing in the Volvo, this is it for me."

He said sailing would be put on the backburner for the next nine months while he trained for the Taupo Ironman event.

"That is why I am rushing home on Thursday," he laughs. "A day I am not at home is a day I am not training.

"But I'll be working on some other yachting projects. I could do another non-stop round-the-world venture or attempt the world speed sailing record."

Dalton's team, Amer Sports One, are tied for third. The final leg from Sweden to Germany starts tomorrow.

Illbruck have the overall lead with 54 points, followed by Assa Abloy with 49 and Amer Sports One, News Corp and Tyco with 40.

SEB, djuice and Amer Sports Too are well back, with 29, 25 and 11 points respectively.

The battle for third pits three of New Zealand's most experienced sailors against each other: Dalton, Tyco skipper Kevin Shoebridge and Ross Field, the syndicate head of News Corp.

Illbruck, with six New Zealanders on board, only have to finish fifth or higher to win the race.

"I fully expect illbruck to win, but the forecast is not good for them," Dalton said. "They are not performing very well in light air and Assa Abloy are."

Dalton said the campaign had been tough for the two-boat syndicate (Amer Sports One and Amer Sports Too) because they came into it late and money had been tight towards the end.

"I hope that we can stay in third place. We were sort of challenging for first, then slipped to second and now we find ourselves third.

"I think what happened was we were further up the food chain when we started and we thought that just through sheer hard work we could stay there, but the other campaigns got their acts together and caught up."

After seven trips around the world, Dalton said his favourite moment was coming into Auckland on New Zealand Endeavour in the 1993-94 event.

"But there were great times in every race - like getting the opportunity to sail around the world for the first time on Flyer.

"That was in 1981 and we won the race. The Lion New Zealand campaign with Peter [Blake] was really good fun.

"In 1989 I remember getting a call from Don Rowlands saying the Fisher & Paykel board had voted to back my campaign. That was such a major moment in my career.

"I'll never forget winning the leg to Auckland in the 1997-98 race on Merit Cup, either."

His lowest point was not in the race itself but the realisation after the New Zealand Endeavor campaign that he was not going to be able to raise money for a boat in New Zealand again.

"I would be very surprised if you saw a New Zealand flag flying on the back of a boat in this race again.

"Then again, we will eventually lose the America's Cup, hopefully not for a long time yet, and the money merry-go-round may come round again."

Dalton said he had never feared death at sea. "Not for a single second. How many times I feared I might fail? Many, many times. Not on the water but trying to secure money. I was so close to packing it all in after New Zealand Endeavor."

The one thing he will not miss is getting out of bed in the middle of the night and pulling wet wet-weather gear over his head.