Cayard the invincible

The Whitbread winner proves his mettle as a match racer by winning the Nations Cup

In a clash of the American America's Cup syndicates Oracle's Paul Cayard won the second Nation's Cup-La Sfida in Trieste by a 3-1 margin over One World's Peter Gilmour. Sailing with Cayard were other members of the Oracle team including Peter Holberg, Eric Doyle, Bob Wylie, Phil Trinter, Brian Maclnnes, Mark McTeigue and Geordie Shaver.
In the first regatta of the final day, which started at 1000 with a light unstable breeze blowing, Cayard finished with a 15 second margin over Gilmour. After winning the start, the Oracle helmsman maintained his lead accumulating a 37 second advantage at the second upwind mark.

Gilmour staged a comeback in the second race by a distance of one minute and 20 seconds. Again it was the start that determined the success on this race and the helmsman of the One World team increased his lead at every mark.

After risking a penalty on the pre-start of third race, Cayard managed to get to the right hand side of the course and after the first upwind mark gained a 26 second advantage and crossed the finish line two minutes and 30 seconds ahead.

For the last race of the day, the wind became very light and shifty - a characteristic of the entire week's sailing. As in the first race Cayard was in constant control over Gilmour and came in with a four race minute advantage to take the Nation's Cup-La Sfida.

After the racing Paul Cayard said he would like to return to for the next Nation's Cup: "It is obvious to say that winning is beautiful, but winning in Italy has even more significance, I am very attached to this country and the Italian fans are very warm towards me". Cayard is something of a hero in Italy having helmed Raul Gardini's Il Moro di Venezia in the 1992 America's Cup, as well as doing tactics on Brava Q8.

Nations Cup Final Results

1. Oracle Racing 1 - Paul Cayard
2. Oneworld 1 - Peter GIlmour
3. Oneworld 2 - Kelvin Harrap
4. Slovenia M, R - . Miitja Kosmina
5. Oracle Racing 2 - Tommaso Chieffi
6. Mascalzone Latino - Paolo Cian
7. Alinghi Swiss Team - Murray Jones
8. Sailing Planet - Furio Benussi

To read about the interesting boat the America's Cup teams were sailing on see page 2...
To see photos from the racing see pages three and four...