ABOUT PAUL CAYARD
Paul Cayard is one of America’s most recognized and accomplished sailors.
A nine-time world champion, seven-time America’s Cup competitor and two-time Olympian (1984 and 2004), Paul Cayard is among the most accomplished sailors in the history of the sport. His remarkable career spans more than four decades, with his competitive excellence continuing today. In 2025, he captured the Star World Championship, followed by a dramatic victory at the 2026 Bacardi Cup, a prestigious title he had pursued for 45 years. His achievements reflect an extraordinary combination of perseverance, resilience and sustained performance at the highest level.
Cayard has circumnavigated the globe twice, becoming the first American to win the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1998 and finishing second with the Disney-sponsored Pirates of the Caribbean syndicate in the 2005–06 Volvo Ocean Race. He is one of the few sailors to have competed at the highest level in three distinct disciplines: the America’s Cup, Olympic sailing and round-the-world ocean racing.
An accomplished public speaker, Cayard captivates audiences worldwide with compelling stories of adventure, leadership, resilience and life-changing experiences at sea. Drawing on hundreds of thousands of miles of competitive sailing, his experiences range from the intensity of the America’s Cup to the Roaring Forties and iceberg-filled waters of the Southern Ocean. Along the way, his leadership and decision-making skills have been tested in extreme conditions, where the consequences of a single decision could mean the difference between life and death.
Beyond his accomplishments at the helm, Cayard has been a pioneer in the marketing and management of professional sailing teams, collaborating with Fortune 500 companies including Disney, Ford and United Technologies. His experience building and leading high-performance teams, navigating uncertainty and making critical decisions under pressure offers valuable insights for business leaders and organizations.
Fluent in English, French and Italian, Cayard frequently speaks at international conferences and has served as a sailing commentator, including for RAI during the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007.
A Rolex Ambassador since 1999, Cayard has also represented leading brands including Oakley and Zegna.
His distinguished career has earned him some of sailing’s highest honors, including Rolex Yachtsman of the Year in 1998 and induction into the National Sailing Hall of Fame (2011), Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (2020) and America’s Cup Hall of Fame (2025).
Cayard was born in San Francisco, California.
9
World Championships
7
America’s Cups
2
Olympic Games
40+
Years of Leadership
Career Highlights
AMERICA’S CUP
2013 Artemis Racing, CEO, San Francisco
2007 Desafio Espanol, Technical Advisor, Valencia
2000 AmericaOne Skipper, Auckland
1995 Stars and Stripes Helmsman San Diego
1992 Il Moro di Venezia Skipper/Manager San Diego
1987 USA Tactician Perth, Australia
1983 Defender – Sail trimmer Newport, RI
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES
2025 Star, Split, Croatia
2002 IMS, Capri, Brava Q 8
1996 ILC 40, Athens, Brava Q8
1991 50′ Class Japan Abracadabra
1991 America’s Cup, San Diego, Il Moro di Venezia
1989 One Ton, Napoli, Brava
1988 Star, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1988 Maxi, San Francisco, Il Moro di Venezia III
ROUND THE WORLD SAILING
2006 Volvo Ocean Race 2nd Pirates of the Caribbean
1998 Whitbread Round the World Race – Winner – EF Language
OLYMPIC GAMES
2004 Star, Athens – 5th
1984 Star, Los Angeles – (Alternate)
HONORS
2025 America’s Cup Hall of Fame
2020 Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
2011 National Sailing Hall of Fame
2006 St. Francis Yacht Club Yachtsman of the Year
2002 Sailing World Hall of Fame
1998 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year
1997 St. Francis Yacht Club Yachtsman of the Year
1992 Rothmans Yachtsman of the Year
1991 Yachting Magazine Yachtsman of the Year