By SUZANNE McFADDEN
Kiwi sailor Ross Field has dipped into the pockets of one of the world's richest men to finance his next round-the-world campaign.
Field is keeping mum about the identity of the backer for his boat in the Volvo Ocean Race, promising all will be revealed in the next three
weeks.
"I can tell you he is a very powerful man, and the campaign is well and truly going ahead," he said in Auckland yesterday, where the syndicate will be based.
"It is a major coup. It will definitely lift the profile of the race and yachting."
Field has once again had to go offshore for funding. Although there are strong Kiwi ties, the multinational syndicate may have to fly a United Nations flag.
Field has already bought a 4-year-old Whitbread 60 yacht, built for his old rival Grant Dalton in the last round-the-world race.
Dalton had two Merit Cup boats built, but this one did not race. "This is the one they reckon they should have taken - it is a very good boat," Field said.
For the last couple of years, it has been sailing in Europe, and Field has bought it to practise in the waters around New Zealand for the next 12 months.
A new boat will be built in Auckland for the Volvo race that starts in September next year.
The Field campaign have set up home in the old Nippon base in the America's Cup village. The boat should be out sailing by the end of this week.
But Field will not sail in the race this time. He will stay on land as boss of the project, handing over the wheel to English sailor Jez Fanstone, a crewman on Silk Cut in the last race.
"I do not want to do it anymore. I've won it twice and there are other things I want to do," he said. Among them a solo circumnavigation.
Fanstone's fiance, New Zealand round-the-world sailor Leah Newbold, will head the shore crew.
