Offshore versus America’s Cup racing

Grant Dalton has raced around the world seven times but now is best known as the leader of Team New Zealand since taking the role after their America’s Cup loss in February 2003. Here he describes the difference between these two areas of sailing…

“I’ve spent 25 years in a round-the-world environment, which is a pure environment. Your best friends are your competitors because they’re the ones who are going to haul you out of the Southern Ocean. In the America’s Cup your competitors will bury you – legally or any other way they can. Not many nice guys are going to win the America’s Cup. People I’m close to I’m really close to. If I’m not, I’m not. I trust really slowly and I lose it instantly. A grudge is normally created by somebody trying to screw you and in the America’s Cup, a lot of people are trying to screw you.”

Complete interview in New Zealand Herald.