Paul Cayard to Speak at World Yacht Racing Forum

Paul Cayard. Image copyright Oscar Kihlborg/Volvo Ocean Race.

World renowned yachtsman Paul Cayard to attend the World Yacht Racing Forum, 10-11 December at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco

by Bernard Schopfer

Organisers of the World Yacht Racing Forum are pleased to announce Paul Cayard as one of the guest speakers at the inaugural two day conference in Monaco this December.

Cayard joins an already impressive list of speakers and panellists including Team Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth (NZL), CEO of Team Origin Sir Keith Mills (GBR), world champion sailor Peter Gilmour (AUS), Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad, Founder of the Louis Vuitton Cup Bruno Troublé, World Match Racing Tour President Scott Macleod, IMOCA Executive Director Franck David, Team Shosholosa CEO Salvatore Sarno, and many more.

Paul Cayard (USA) is one of the most successful sailors in the last 25 years. A veteran round the world sailor, Cayard skippered Team EF Language to victory in the 1988 Whitbread Round the World, and finished a narrow second behind Team ABN Amro in the 2005-2006 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race as skipper of Disney’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.

A two time-Olympic sailor and seven-time sailing world champion, Cayard is no stranger to the yacht racing scene, having competed in six America’s Cup’s and won the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup as skipper of the Italian entry ‘Il Moro di Venezia’.

“The yacht racing community needs a forum like this,” stated Cayard. ”The Forum will address some very interesting views on the future opportunities of the sport and I am looking forward to participating.”

The World Yacht Racing Forum will take place from 10-11 December at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Hosted by the Yacht Club de Monaco under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II, the Forum has brought together some of the best known sailing events, racing teams, sponsors and venues to meet, network and debate key issues around the business of yacht racing.

The two day schedule will feature presentations and panel discussions on key subjects including the global growth of yacht racing, maximising the exposure of the sport to media and broadcast, the growth of classic yacht racing, assessing the impact of events on host cities and venues, learning the value of sailing sponsorship, and the rise of yacht racing events in the Middle East and Asia. There will also be a separate panel discussion on the future of the America’s Cup, and the future of multihull racing.

The Yacht Racing Forum is co-located with the 3rd edition of the well established Motorsport Business Forum, also taking place at the Grimaldi Forum from 10-11 December. Delegates from both Forums will have exclusive dual access to the exhibitor areas of each Forum plus an invitation to the ‘Track & Ocean’ cocktail party jointly hosted by both Forums.

World Yacht Racing Forum