Spaniard bolsters Team NZ

By JULIE ASH

Spain's Marcelino Botin has joined Team New Zealand as a principal designer.

Botin and his South African design partner, Shaun Carkeek, are widely recognised as leading IMS (International Measurement System) designers in Europe.

Team New Zealand design co-ordinator Andy Claughton said Botin had produced some great designs and was clever at exploiting the IMS rule, which relates to an international handicapping system.

"We were looking for someone who could bring a different eye to the whole design side of things," Claughton said. "The boats he designs are very much in the Alinghi style - flat bottomed, hard-turned bilge, slab-sided, so we saw him as a good advocate of that style of boat."

Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton said Botin added strength and flair to the design team. "The fact that he is Spanish and the 2007 America's Cup will be held in Spain is a happy coincidence," Dalton said. "He is a leading European designer and was actually in Auckland for our design team meeting three days before the venue announcement."

It is understood neither Clay Oliver nor Mike Drummond, who were Team New Zealand's principal designers in the 2003 defence, have re-signed at this stage.

Botin's recent successes include the Grand Soleil 56 Caixa Glacia and sister ship X Sport and the 42ft Grand Soleil Italtel, which were first, second and third in the Mediterranean IMS championships last June.

Claughton said Botin saw in Team New Zealand a syndicate "starting from a strong base, where he would be in a group where he could contribute and learn at the same time."

Claughton said Botin and Carkeek's success exploiting the IMS rule was a valuable asset to a team designing to the tight International America's Cup Class rule.

Further reading: nzherald.co.nz/americascup