A Frenchman at the court of Dean Barker

By JULIE ASH

Competing in his fifth America's Cup, French sailor Bertrand Pace has found life at Team New Zealand an eye-opener.

After four cup campaigns with the French, Pace took up Dean Barker's offer of a place at Team New Zealand after the defections in 2000.

"I was very enthusiastic about the idea. I talked to my wife and finally we decided it was good for us and our family," Pace said.

"I came here to learn another way of sailing, another way of thinking, using this boat and designing."

And it seems life at Team New Zealand is slightly different from other campaigns in which Pace has been involved.

"People are different and they sail differently and do more testing. All the time the French found the money very late and were running against time.

"This time again the French team got the money very late. They made a strange mistake about the design, they made some mistakes tactically, and I don't think they were a good organised group.

"Here [at Team New Zealand] is a good experience for me, as it is not so easy. The hours are longer and the days are more difficult.

"I haven't got good enough English to say what I feel and what I think on the boat sometimes, and if I regret one thing it is not working more on my English."

Pace started sailing when he was 12 at the Channel port of Dunkirk.

"I never sailed dinghies or anything, just keel boats," he said.

He went on and competed in a wide range of mainly offshore events, including the Admiral's Cup and the Tour de France race, which he won six times.

"I did my degree in engineering in 1985. Since then I have always sailed. I joined the French America's Cup team French Kiss in 1987.

"I started as a bowman, but after a few weeks I moved back as navigator."

Since then, he has been at the back of the boat, either as helmsman, starting helmsman or tactician.

Asked what he is going to do after this campaign, he replied: "Another America's Cup."

Zachary Hurst's sailing career took off when he joined the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's youth training programme at the age of 16.

"It was pretty intense for a year, 9am to 5pm every Saturday and Sunday [but] ... I got a huge amount out of it."

After the programme, Hurst worked in sail making and boat maintenance before hooking up with fellow Team New Zealand sailor Cameron Appleton and competing in various match-racing events.

Then, after the 2000 cup, he got a job with Team New Zealand as a trimmer and a chase-boat driver.

Now, some two years later, Hurst is champing at the bit for the America's Cup to begin.

"It is huge. This is the best experience I have ever had. We work long hours, but all your friends are here.

"Most people would say they wouldn't want to race Alinghi and Russell Coutts, but I think there would be no one better to keep the America's Cup from."

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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