New job for Grant Simmer

Ex Alinghi/Team Origin boss joins Cup team

Three-time America’s Cup winner Grant Simmer has joined the America’s Cup champion team Oracle Team USA as General Manager.

His role gives him day-to-day operational responsibility for the American team that is currently designing and building the AC72 in which they will attempt to defend the America’s Cup in San Francisco in 2013.

CEO Russell Coutts, four-time winner of the America’s Cup, remains in overall strategic charge of the team while also fulfilling his role of ensuring that the 2013 America’s Cup is the most successful in the 161-year history of the most iconic event in sport.

The careers of both men have coincided before. Simmer was brought into Alinghi by Coutts for the 2003 America’s Cup and acted as consultant to Ben Ainslie Racing, which will be entering the 2012/13 America’s Cup World Series in August. Ainslie is also an Oracle Team USA sailing squad member for the 2013 America’s Cup.

“From navigating the challenger in 1983 that was the first ever to win the America’s Cup in 132 years to his current role, Grant’s capital of experience is unmatched,” said Coutts. “Few sports I can think of test a team’s talent, skills, knowledge, commitment and management as the America’s Cup.”

“Having won the America’s Cup with and without Russell, and then having been beaten by his team in 2010, I think we have healthy respect of each other’s abilities and what it is required to win,” said Simmer. “It’s good to be working together again.”