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image 300 x 158Grant Dalton when arriving in Auckland. Photo : C.Borlenghi / Sea&See.it

VOLVO OCEAN RACE

Grant Dalton on Cayard joining Amer Sports One

mercredi 16 janvier 2002Information Volvo Ocean Race


Q : News today of Paul Cayard joining Amer Sports One. Your reaction :

A : Well it’s a planned move. We got to Auckland and said "what have we got to do to make the boat go faster ?" We’re in second, but second can quite easily turn into fifth, sixth or even seventh in a quality fleet like this, it is much harder to go up a step, it is a lot easier to go backwards.

Dee’s shoulder injury was at a point where he really needed to do something about it so that he’s right when we get into the short course racing up the coast of the US. Paul has been involved on the fringes of this campaign right from the start. He was the logical person to join and he was really the only guy I would only ever consider joining in place of Dee. If Paul had not been available then Dee would have remained.

Q : It does look now that you finally have got the dream team. What sort of message does this send out to the rest of the fleet ?

A : If I was listening to the news that Paul Cayard had joined Assa Abloy or illbruck Challenge then I wouldn’t have been happy about that. I would say that it strengthened that other team. I don’t think we have taken it seriously in this campaign to date, we are so late, we are in a totally different design, our sail programme hasn’t really happened yet. We’re just taking it bit by bit. We’re three legs in and we somehow managed to get ourselves into second. I’m probably more surprised than anybody that we’re in second place. We’re just trying to get better.

Q : What will Paul bring to the party ?

A : He brings every strength to us. He’s a fast driver, he’s a great tactician, he has huge energy, he is a good motivator, he will be good for me. It’ been a long two years for me and even though I don’t feel tired I am sure I’m probably off the boil a little bit. Just in the exchange of emails in the last few days, he is starting to get his head round the campaign. He’s got me working harder than I was expecting with nine days to go which is a good thing. I think he strengthens us in every way.



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