According to a report in the Internet magazine "Sailing Anarchy", the American Paul Cayard will skipper Team Pirate's boat in the Volvo Ocean Race.
Cayard, who has already won this race with the ship “EF Language”, would be a logical choice for this challenge. Lately it has become quiet about the American, who is one of the greats in sailing. First he was sidelined by Larry Ellison at the last America’s Cup, then he ended up in the ungrateful fourth place at the Olympic Games in Athens. In the end, he only made headlines through a mysterious collaboration with Russell Coutts, who was also shot. The two sailing stars should plan a spectacular racing series together
As head of the Pirates Team, he would finally be in the spotlight again as a professional athlete. However, the task is ungrateful. Because the US campaign comes late, probably too late to win the race. There are only 149 days left until the start in Vigo, Spain.
The Volvo 70 yacht is already under construction at Green Marine in England and is managed by the experienced Atlant Ocean Racing team of Richard Brisius and Johan Salen. But Cayard could hardly exert any influence.
But perhaps it is precisely this challenge that appeals to the American. Especially since none of the seven teams started with enough lead time at this year's Volvo Ocean Race.
And Cayard shouldn't have any financial problems. Because the Disney film studios, which want to use the race as an advertising medium for the new Hollywood flick "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest", are known for the fact that they tend to mess rather than mess. The film with Jonny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Orlando Bloom is currently being shot as the second part of "Pirates of the Caribbean" in Los Angeles and the Caribbean and is due to open in July 2006.