SAILING

Pauls Most Recent Sailing Reports

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America’s Cup

Too light and too variable today in Valencia. Especially for a race of this importance. Race 7 postponned to Tuesday 1500. Wednesday.

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Must do better

The two round-robins are now finished. No surprises among the top three. The battle for fourth was a tough one. Mascalzone Latino looked favourite for the final spot after beating Team New Zealand in their very first race, but they could not hold the form and in the end Desafío Español secured that fourth slot. […]

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America’s Cup-Race 6

Another tough day for the Kiwi’s and the race slipped out of their hands on the second windward leg. Alinghi now has 3 match point points. Today’s conditions were quite different to yesterday, flat seas and 8-10 knots of wind. Both boats were even coming off the line with Alinghi to windward. It took TNZ […]

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America’s Cup-Race 5

The Kiwis lost it. Alinghi ahead 3-2 Dean Barker dominated the start today putting Ed Baird in a difficult position immediately in the prestart and converted his advantage into a 1 boat length lead off the line. The two boats were virtually even as the raced side by side out to the right side of […]

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Father & Daughter Duo at America’s Cup Gala

On 21 June 07, Paul and his daughter Allie Cayard joined in the celebrations at the 32nd America’s Cup Ball in Valencia. The stylish pair, dressed by Ermenegildo Zegna and Vera Wang, dazzled guests at Valencia’s most important event on the social calendar.

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America’s Cup-Race 4

All square at 2-2. Is that the first time in 32 America’s Cup’s? I think it is. Someone will correct me if I am wrong. We saw a determined Alinghi out on the course today. Brad Butterworth returned to his top level tactical brilliance and with the narrowest of leads off the starting line, the […]

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America’s Cup-Race 3

What a great race! We had two lead changes and in the end, the Kiwis who built a seemingly unassailable lead on the first leg to windward, were rewarded with the victory and now lead the series 2-1. Are we set for a long series or is the momentum changing and the Kiwis getting on […]

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PRESS RELEASE – RC44 / Lugano Yacht Club Cup

Cayard, Coutts, Onorato, Gram-Hansen and more celebrate the RC44 Class debut in Switzerland The idyllic setting of Lugano provided a spectacular backdrop for the first ever RC44 event in Switzerland. The Lugano Yacht Club Cup, the fourth event in the Class Championship Tour, presented challenging racing for RC44 owners and their crews today. Lugano (CH), […]

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America’s Cup-Race 2

It is all on! That is the good news for everyone who is interested in the Cup. What a difference a day can make. 9-10 knots of wind and a much smooth sea seemed to be better for the flat bottomed Kiwi boat. New Zealand is not about to lie down. Yesterday at this time, […]

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America’s Cup-Race 1

No surprise in the result. Alinghi 1, New Zealand 0 However, I think there was a bit of a surprise for everyone in the way the Swiss achieved this victory and the strengths demonstrated. The conditions were 13 knots of wind, with a moderate to large sea. Alinghi was a bit faster upwind, but not […]

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Update from Valencia

I just finished a 12 day tour of Italy with my daughter Allie. Allie was born in Milan in 1990 while we lived there for the Il Moro di Venezia America’s Cup Challenge. She has always wanted me to take her to Italy and this was the right time. We started out in San Giminiano […]

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Louis Vuitton Finals-Race 5

Team New Zealand Wins! In two weeks, it will be a re-match of the America’s Cup 2003. Luna Rossa put up a new mainsail and made a change to the appendage package last night. Their boat was faster, but not fast enough. They were beaten by a better boat, and a better team. The Italians […]

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Louis Vuitton Finals-Race 4

More of the same. 4-0 for Team New Zealand Luna Rossa did everything correctly today. The weather team asked for the right and James Spithill got it. Not only that, the right hand end of the line was favored by a boat length. Emirates Team New Zealand seemed strangely happy with the left. At the […]

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Louis Vuitton Finals-Race 3

More of the same. That’s good news for the Kiwis and bad news for Luna Rossa and the Italians. Kiwis lead 3-0. Today was “hump day” for them. Jesse James Spithill appeared today for the first four minutes of the prestart today. With the advantage of the right at the 5 minute gun and 8 […]

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Louis Vuitton Finals-Race 2

It was all over at the start really. Luna Rossa wanted the right and Dean Barker made them pay for it. Luna came off the line to the right but very thin on the hip of Team New Zealand and slow. Luna tacked immediately and TNZ matched them. A long port tack ensued with TNZ […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Finals-Preview

I think we are going to witness a great Louis Vuitton Final. I expect the series between Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand will go 8 or 9 races. I expect the two boats to perform fairly evenly. It will be a battle of nerves and pressure. Team unity and strength will play a […]

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Paul Cayard was presented with the new Rolex Yacht-Master II

In recognition of the launch of their newest timepiece, Arnaud Boetsch of Rolex SA presented international yachtsman Paul Cayard with a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II regatta chronograph at a ceremony held on May 23rd at the Real Club Nautico Valencia, Spain. “It’s a privilege to be associated with Rolex over the past ten years […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals-Day 8

Desafio fell today but not before a valiant effort. The first Spanish team to make the semi finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup went to the 7th race, further than the almighty BMW Oracle Racing. Dean Barker got a great start today against Karol Jablonski and the Kiwis were on their way. In reality, both […]

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BID ON CAYARD’S GEAR

Paul Cayard has graciously donated a few items of his personal Desafío Español team gear that can be to bid on. Maybe you didn’t turn the handles during the Spanish team’s outstanding campaign, but you can look like you did. Better yet, you will be taking the gear directly off Cayard’s back, arguably one of […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals-Day 7

Too much wind today! Up to 30 knots of wind and 2 meter waves. Conditions that broke apart oneAustralia in 1995 and Young America in 2000. These Cup rules this time set a maximum wind speed of 23 knots. Some people are sad about this because they think the premier event in our sport should […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals-Day 6

Luna Rossa is in the Louis Vuitton Finals. Desafio lives for another day! Today BMW Oracle made a change. Chris Dickson was off the boat and Sten Mohr took his place as helmsman. Little change for the American boat. The nice thing was to see Larry Ellison back onboard, supporting his team. It was even […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals-Day 5

The picture could not be more clear. James Spithill has Chris Dickson’s number. The Kiwi skipper of the American boat is making too many errors in the critical prestart phase leaving his team with little hope at the start. Two penalties in today’s prestart. I can’t remember the last time that happened in racing at […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals-Day 4

A defining day. Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand win. Are they going to be the LVC finalists? It is starting to look that way. After an even start, Dickson’s best so far, the Italians carved out a 20 meter lead after a long port tack to the right side of the course, with BMW […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals-Day 3

Luna Rossa showed us how it is done today. Another great start by James Spithill gave Luna Rossa the right side of the course and a 29 second lead at the first mark. On the run, Luna Rossa covered like it is written in the text books. They spent some of their lead to gain […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals-Day 2

Opportunity lost for Luna Rossa today. Putting BMW Oracle behind 2-0 would have been a big step toward winning this semi final and the Italian boat seemingly had the job done. In the more competitive of the two semi finals, the young James Spithill of Luna Rossa shut out Chris Dickson of BMW Oracle at […]

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals-Day 1

Following a front that passed through the area Sunday night, a moderate Westerly wind was in place early this morning on the waters off Valencia. The westerly wind is quite shifty and puffy as it is coming off the city. This made for some tricky racing. In the first match, Luna Rossa and BMW Oracle […]

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Update from Valencia

The Spanish finally did it today. The Swedish lost their race to Team New Zealand despite a great start by Magnus Holmberg and leading around the top mark. The Kiwi boat was just better suited to the 10 knots winds of today and got inside the Swedes at the bottom mark, took the right side […]

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Update from Valencia

Another perfect day on the Med- 12-15 knots from 125, sunny and fairly smooth seas. The big race of the day was Luna Rossa vs. New Zealand. New Zealand got a slightly better start and slowly, over 20 tacks, eked out a small lead up the first windward leg to lead by 17 seconds. On […]

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Update from Valencia

The big match of the day was Mascalzone vs. Shosholoza and they did not disappoint. In a toughly fought pre-start Paolo Cain, the helmsman of Shosholoza, was able to get a penalty on Mascalzone which ultimately made the difference in this close race. Mascalzone won the start and held the lead the entire race, sometimes […]

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Update from Valencia

A Big day for Desafio. A tough day for Mascalzone Latino. Desafio came from behind in both of their matches today to take critical wins off of Shosholosa and Mascalzone. Both races we won in exactly the same way. Desafio, just two boat lengths behind on the first run of both races, waited patiently for […]

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Volvo Ocean Race Podcast Catches up with Cayard

This week’s VOR podcast includes one of the giants of the sport – Paul Cayard. A former Star World Champion, winning Whitbread skipper, and a World Sailor of the Year, Paul talks about the America’s Cup, the TP-52 circuit, the World Sailing League, and the new look Volvo Ocean Race. There’s also the latest from […]

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Update from Valencia

Big day today. Two flights with a nice 10-12 knot sea breeze. The big match of the day was the battle of the Louis Vuitton Cup leaders, Luna Rossa and BMW Oracle. This match was run in the first flight. The boats crossed the starting line pretty evenly, both on starboard tack, but with Luna […]

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Update from Valencia

Is it me or is it Valencia. I just got back today at 12:00 and no races today. That is 7 out of the 9 days I have been here there have been no races. The big match of the day was to be BMW Oracle against Luna Rossa both with 27 points. BMW won […]

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CNN MainSail interviews Paul Cayard

On location in Valencia, Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson interviewed Paul Cayard for CNN’s MainSail programme. For a glimpse of the Desafio Espanol base, the America’s Cup basin and Cayard’s views on who will win the America’s Cup, click on the following link: Video: MainSail interviews Paul Cayard*

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Update from San Francisco

A tough day on the water for the race committee. With a very unstable wind today in Valencia, only the North course was able to race. Areva, Shosholoza, China and +39 are done with RR1, while BMW Oracle, Luna Rossa, Mascalzone Latino, Desafio Espanol, Team New Zealand and Victory Challenge still have two more races […]

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Update from San Francisco

A big day on the water in Valencia. The breeze was 7-9 knots so still on the light side. What is apparent after the first 9 flights is that there are 7 teams that can win any race. This is great for the spectators. In the first Flight of the day, Victory beat Areva which […]

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Update from Valencia

No wind again! Where are we? 2 for 8? For sure we are in trouble. I am going home to SF. When the wind comes up, my friends at La7 are going to call me and I will come back. Actually, maybe I should go with a big suitcase and get some wind and bring […]

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Update from Valencia

Well we got one in today. Still very light wind and the forecast for tomorrow is a bit less than today…so marginal. Today we had a NE gradient that was altered by the thermal heating on the land which pulled the wind right, closer to perpendicular to the coast line, and this made the wind […]

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Update from Valencia

Just when it looked like it was going to come good, Valencia disappointed everyone again today. 1 day out of 6. Not very good statistics so far. Some journalists are starting to make a bit of a stir about the weather here. Most feel America’s Cup Management (ACM), the entity that Alinghi appointed in charge […]

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Update – Finally! Wind in Valencia

Two races on both race courses today. 7-10 knots from 100 degrees. The big story of the day was Mascalzone Latino beating Team New Zealand in the first match of the day. It was a great race by the Italians who won the start, took the favored right side and led around every mark to […]

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