Andy Green interview - part 2

Today Andy talks about picking the crew and his other responsibilities for GBR Challenge

Aside from his work in Auckland Green has been regularly taking part in event in the Swedish Match Tour to hone his match racing skills. "When you go sailing America's Cup boats you go with 16 people in an 80ft boat, but the game is still the same," he says of the Tour events. "It is like the difference between going go-karting to Formula 1 racing. You can be rest assured that if Michel Schmacher goes go-karting he won't give an inches, but will probably learn something every day. In the same way as he learns from the person that sits there and calls tactics to him when he's go-karting I learn the same things when I'm sailing with Ado that will only help us when we go sailing on the America's Cup boat.

"It's been a huge move forwards in our relationship, going to a lot of the match racing events and going through the highs and lows and we may sail on a different boat when the Cup's done. One of the things that Ado's been good for me on is making me sail the boat faster. And whenever we do the two boat testing it is usually Ado who comes with me to help me work on my boat speed, because I haven't done an Olympic campaign I've unfortunately been removed from that side."

Does he regret not having got involved with an Olympic campaign? "No, not in the slightest, because I don't think I'd be where I am if I had. At the time that I started with the World Class Performance plan, I saw a little gap where there was no one else, apart from Chris Law, who was taking on the match racing side and I really enjoyed it and it suited my style of sailing. At some point in the future, yes, I'd love to do an Olympic campaign, but no time soon. I'd never do it and not be involved in the America's Cup because I love the America's Cup.There are so many Brits coming down and they're going to have a team to support and they're going to see the biggest sailing event ever. It's going to be huge and Auckland is a brilliant place to have it, it is a natural amphitheatre, it is a great city and they really take it on.

When I did it last with Aloha with Abracadabra, when I walked down to the base on Syndicate Row on that first morning of racing and every single radio station, every single bill board every single poster, person or petrol head was talking about it, I just thought it was amazing. There were cars honking their horns, people crossing the street if they saw you in your team kit - that sort of expectation was amazing. There's a element of excitement that all the talk generates. The protocol issues, the rule issues, politics, drama, secrecy - all that generates a real sense of expectation, but everyone knows that from day one it is all about the sailing."

Andy Green and the GBR Challenge crew at the recent UBS Challenge match racing event in Newport