Cutting or trimming, Loretz gets the most out of a sail

As a youngster Grant Loretz used to head to North Shore's Murrays Bay almost every day after school.

Like most young Kiwi sailors he started out in the P-Class and progressed through the grades along with the likes of Craig Monk (now with OneWorld) and Robbie Naismith (now with Oracle).

But a passion for making boats go faster led Loretz into sailmaking, which in turn led to his first involvement with the America's Cup - the New Zealand challenge in Fremantle in 1987.

He is still drawing on his sail-making background and works closely with sail designer Burns Fallow.

They turn the trimmers' collected ideas into new sail designs, or new shapes for existing sails.

"There's plenty to learn, and we're always looking for an edge," he says.

"The boats have come a long way since I started - they are now more exciting."

GRANT LORETZ - trimmer

Nickname: Louie

Age: 38

Place of Birth: Tokoroa

Cup experience:

2000: Team NZ, trimmer

1995: Tag Heuer Challenge, port trimmer

1992: NZ Challenge, trimmer

1987: NZ Challenge, sailmaker

Career highlights:

2000: Kenwood Cup - Seahawk (1st). World Farr 40 champs, Newport (2nd)

1999: Admiral's Cup (1st)

1998: Maxi Boat worlds (2nd), Newport-Bermuda Race (1st), 1D48 Newport Regatta (1st), 1D48 Kenwood (2nd), 1D48 Big Boat Series (2nd)

1997: Mumm 36 world championship - Thomas I-Punkt (1st), IMS European Championship - Mean Machine (1st), Japan Mumm 36 Nationals - Sea Hawk (2nd).

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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